Though a wide array of books on various different crafts continue to be published each year, exceptionally few pertaining to scrapbooking, card making, and stamping have been released in the past decade.

Granted paper crafting has declined a wee bit in popularity during the 2010s on into the 2020s, but is still a profoundly beloved activity with new paper crafters joining our ranks around the clock.

This makes the absolute dearth of newer cardmaking and scrapbooking related books all the more perplexing. Not to mention frustrating for those of us who would leap at the chance to add some fresh papercrafting titles to our bookshelves.

It is anyone’s guess as to it we will ever see a resurgence in paper crafting books being published again or not.

Naturally, I hope that we will, but as there’s only so long one can hold their breath, I figured it was high time I looked beyond the scope of paper crafting and to the wider world of crafting for a book to review.

Though not the newest title itself, the book at the heart of this review post is ideally suited to October and as such felt like a great choice to start reviewing craft books – be they new, old, or anywhere in between – with here on Witchcrafted Life.

Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween by Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio was published in 2014, making this book eight years old at the time this post is being written.

It is a thoroughly charming book that packs a wallop in terms of awesome Halloween themed projects (many of which work awesomely for Samhain, with a selection also being a great fit for Día de los Muertos as well) that are approachable, doable, and enjoyable to boot!

Book specs

Name: Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween

Authors: Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio

Page count: 132

Publisher: Lark Crafts

Binding: Softcover

Festive Halloween felting fun for fans of felting, sewing, and crafting in general

From the creativity fuelled minds of two long-time crafters (that would be Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio, respectively), both of whom had previously published crafting books prior to the release of Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween, comes this super fun collection of felt projects to make for the spooky season (or all year round, if you’re on team #MakeHalloween365)

Jam-packed with beautiful, detail-rich colour photos (each project includes at least one accompanying image), this book houses 40 awesome Halloween felt projects that were designed in part by the authors themselves, along with quite a few entries from skilled crafters who contributed their own designs to this book.

As such, the projects in this book are connected by the common threads of both felt crafting and Halloween, while experiencing a lovely degree of diversity care of having multiple design contributors.

If you are not much of a sewer and/or haven’t worked a lot with felt, but this title appeals to you all the same, fear not, you’re in luck!

Though hand and/or machine stitching is involved with a fair number of the projects in Felt-o-ween, most of the projects are not overly complex and, in my opinion, should be within the skillset means of many novice sewers.

The book begins with an introduction to what felt crafting is, the primary types of felt that are available on the market, and covers what other types of materials you will need to complete these projects.

An item that appears often throughout the book is freezer paper, as it is one method of transferring patterns onto felt.

While readily available both in physical stores and online in the States, outside of the USA, crafters may have trouble tracking down this product locally.

It has only been, for example, in very recent years that I have seen Amazon.ca start to list a small selection of freezer paper (such as Cut Rite Heavy Duty Freezer Paper and Reynolds Freezer Paper) – and I have still yet to spot it at any brick and mortar shops in this country.

If you are unable to easily obtain freezer paper either online or off where you live, there is another virtually identical product that often goes by names such as Quilter’s Freezer Paper and Craft Freezer Paper that you may be able to track down instead.

Examples of this product include:

–C. Jenkins Freezer Paper Sheets

–Quilter’s Freezer Paper Sheets

–Sew Easy Freezer Paper

–Taunton Press Best Applique Freezer Paper

The book does not mention this fact, perhaps because Freezer Paper itself is so readily available in the States where, if I’m not mistaken, both of the authors reside.

If none of these products are available in your area, happily, there is still no need to despair. As detailed in Felt-o-ween, many of the pattern templates lend themselves well to being scanned and/or photocopied, enlarged, printed and then used as tracing and/or cutting guides when pined to your felt.

This point hopefully sorted, you can now get on with exploring the forty different delightful Halloween craft projects housed in Felt-o-ween.

Are you on the hunt for festive fall home décor such as wreaths and candle mats? What about darling felt jewelry, accessories, or socks? Care for a felt cupcake topper in the shape of a tombstone, a plush vampire, tiny pumpkin shaped treat holders, or some eye-catching All Hallows’ Eve bunting, look no further!

Felt-o-ween has you covered on each of these fronts and plenty more.

Most of the projects in this book can be made with the felt of your choice/availability, though in some instances, a particular type of felt (such as wool felt, for example) may work better.

Good quality wool felt is a superb crafting material, no two ways about it, but if like me you’re allergic to wool (felt-on-skin contact swiftly gives me a very bad case of hives) or it isn’t in the budget, that is totally okay!

Most of the projects in Felt-o-ween can be whipped up using other types of felt, such as bamboo, eco felt, or acrylic just as easily.

As well, each time I’ve read this book cover-to-cover (three times and counting), I have been struck by how well I suspect many of these projects would turn out when rendered in paper crafting form.

Not all of them per se (especially when it comes to the wearable felt craft projects), but a decent number of them for sure.

And, naturally, many other types of fabric beyond felt could be used here as well. In some cases, they may need to be backed or otherwise stabilized so that they hold their shape similar to that of felt.

Throughout Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween one encounters a good assortment of projects, many of which are not overly complex, time-consuming, or difficult for those who are not yet seasoned stitchers.

I know my way around the basics of sewing but I am by no means an advanced or even intermediate sewer.

I’d place my sewing practical abilities somewhere between beginner and intermediate and my theoretical knowledge on the subject a grade or two higher.

To date, I have not felt compelled to make sewing a primary crafting focus, but I still greatly enjoy finding ways to engage with this timeless art as I go about my crafty year.

Working with felt is a stellar way to do just that, whether one has been sewing for decades or has yet to learn how to turn a hem or what a presser foot is used for.

Want to jazz up your Halloween home décor, make fa-boo-lous party decorations, whip up a wonderful Halloween costume or accessory, or create a festive piece for your crafty space? If so, this is the book for you.

Naturally, it would also make for a top-notch gift to give to fans of sewing and/or Halloween.

Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween is an appealing book both on its own merits and in terms of the additional chain of creative inspiration it may set off as you lap up its photo-filled pages.

How Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio rates with me

As you flip through Felt-o-ween, it is hard to restrain yourself from dropping everything and rushing off to craft up a litany of delightful fall time felt projects.

The crafts in this book are inviting and adorable. They come housed with easy-to-follow instructions, patterns are included, and they would make for equally terrific crafts to make for yourself or give to any Halloween fan.

Speaking of which, if you have any little ones in your life who go wild for October 31^st, chances are they would be delighted to either help you make – or try their hand at creating (if they’re old enough to safely to do so) – many of these festively fun Halloween felt crafts.

A breezy read that is chocked-full of fantastic project ideas starring the wonderfully versatile material that is felt, this book is apt to be one that many crafters return to time and time again.

It is worth noting that while photos of each completed project are included in Felt-o-ween there are not images of the steps involved with actually making the crafts in this book.

I have not yet tried my hand at making any of the Halloween crafts that reside in Felt-o-ween – but definitely hope to do so once I can pick up some more felt and a roll/package of freezer paper.

In particular, the Creepy Crawly Wreath (seen on the cover), Candy Corn Bunting, “The Birds” (Hitchcock-worthy felt crows/ravens), Spooky Friends Wall Hanging, Bat Mobile, Darkling Roses, and Skull Hairbows really jumped out at me.

Some of those projects (plus various others in this book), my fellow goth and alternative aesthetic inclined readers will be happy to know, could easily work for year-round home décor and fashion purposes.

Got(h) to love that!

(Just as you do the fact that felt, as a general rule, does not fray – meaning all the more ease of completion and longevity of your finished projects.)

The Halloween projects in Felt-o-ween are cute, sweet, relatively easy, and kid-friendly in terms of the end results they create.

Plus, every one of them is a perfect fit for a #MakeHalloween365 project share.

Those who who are aiming for a much more elegant, darkly macabre, or vintage inspired Halloween look might find a few of these project ideas tick those kinds of boxes, but may otherwise be better served by different craft project sources.

Brought to you by the same authors of Fa la la la Felt: 45 Handmade Holiday Decorations, ‘Tis the Season to Be Felty: Over 40 Handmade Holiday Decorations, and Heart-Felt Holidays: 40 Festive Felt Projects to Celebrate the Seasons, this book is teeming with fresh, joyful Halloween craft projects that are sure to have you beelining for your felt stash – or the nearest fabric store – faster than a bat whizzing across the crisp, cool October sky.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween by Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio 4.5 stars out of 5.

Have you read Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween by Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio?Do you enjoy crafting with felt? 

The post Book Review: Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween by Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

How have you been doing in recent months?

First off, please allow me to extend my deepest and most appreciative heartfelt thanks to all those who reached out to me in the months spanning my post about the sudden end of my nearly 18-year marriage and the present day.

Your soul-touching support, compassion, kindness, empathy, relaying of personal stories involving your own very difficult relationship issues and breakups over the years, and so much more have bolstered + helped me a good deal (and still continue to, for that matter).

Secondly, in the midst of everything that has been transpiring in my life lately, I completely forgot that back in the late spring/early summer, I penned and scheduled some blog posts which were originally intended to go live in either July or August.

In the midst of contending with the unforeseen events of July 2022, I ended up bumping them ahead all the way to December and then promptly (and, I think you will agree, rather understandably!) 110% forgetting that I had done so.

It wasn’t until I saw a flurry of new blog comments suddenly come in recently that I realized these long auto-scheduled posts had unintentionally gone live this month.

My bad all the way!

Not that there is anything wrong with sharing these posts now (or at any point in time). There certainly is not.

It is just that I fully intended for my first post since this past July to be a brief life update, not a project share or other type of entry.

Therefore, I sincerely apologize that things played out how they did. Just as I do to all those readers who I know were wondering why a life update post had not happened before I launched back into more of my usual type of blogging content.

With those points said, please allow me to now give you a little overview of how some things have unfolded for me in recent months.

In the time since the post about the sudden breakdown of my marriage, I was very fortunate to find housing for myself and (my dog) Annie.

After a ton of searching and applying to various rental properties across much of the Okanagan and Lower Shuswap Valleys, I was extremely fortunate to ultimately sign a lease on a lovely little townhouse all to ourselves.

It is located in a larger town roughly 25 minutes away from the small, rural community of Armstrong, BC, where Tony and I had been residing since moving there together in early 2018.

Working largely at the same breakneck speed I had undertaken throughout July and early August to get our entire house packed up, spic-and-span clean, staged for viewings, listed for sale, and so forth, from mid-August to mid-September, I quickly unpacked and set up my new home.

It was – and still is – tremendously strange, sad, and foreign feeling for me to assemble the trappings of each room of a house that is simply for myself (and Annie). Every home from the second half of 2004 onward until this summer was one that Tony and I shared as husband and wife.

As the summer wore on, the initial state of mind-blowing shock, the gargantuan sudden upsets to my life, and the intense feelings of unprecedented blindsidedness began to decrease.

Naturally, though, a vast amount of internal pain, grief, longing, trauma processing, and life rebuilding remain part of my daily world and will no doubt continue to for quite some time still to come.

One does not have the proverbial rug of a marriage they cherished and believed would be eternal – coupled, moreover, with the loss of the person they love/loved, valued, cared about, respected, desired, would have done almost anything for, and trusted more than anybody else in the world – pulled out from under them and magically bounce back with the dexterity of a rubber band.

Far from it.

The thought occurred to me recently that my initial unfathomably brutal heartache and emotional/mental/physical/spiritual pain was/is akin to a very serious acute injury. And, you know, in many ways it is.

However, as time leaps ever forward and the disbelief, marathon cries that often spanned or totaled anywhere from 5 – 14+ hours per day in the initial months (I still continue to cry frequently, though especially long periods of weeping are not, at present, as common for me as they were in the summer and early fall), and the bigger picture of the reality that is my current life all came to be, that pain has gradually morphed into a state that could be looked upon more as a chronic illness of sorts.

(As someone who has been a fighter of over 15 different serious chronic illnesses for more than two decades now, I know from which I speak.)

That does not automatically mean this state of internal health and, likewise, that of my life, in general, will remain entrenched in the deepest, darkest bowels of heartache, grief, longing, and endless reflections on the past for all of time.

And yet, that said, one never fully gets over trauma of this magnitude. A loss this hard-hitting, devastating, and brutally painful.

The experience of witnessing the person I would have gladly taken a bullet for walk out of my/our life in the blink of a tear-filled eye.

The dissipation of a future I firmly believed would be shared and treasured together and the overall pain of an ordeal this earth-shattering will remain with me – at least in part – always.

As, personally, I believe these things (and many others related to this year’s events) should.

In surviving the most hellacious, stressful, hurtful, and challenging periods of our lives, we (hopefully!) learn, grow, and come to see life through wider eyes and with an even more tender heart.

In a ton of different ways, I am a radically different person today than I was before the events of this past July.

Many positive changes have happened organically, others were a conscious decision to approach things in a better, healthier/healing light. And plenty more still were a blend of both organic and conscious efforts.

For, never have I hurt more.

Never have I grown more in the span of just a few brief months.

Never have I longed for anyone (Tony) or anything (our marriage) more in my entire life. Not by the length of the universe.

Never have I so bravely taken hold of the reigns of a profoundly difficult situation and been able to re-establish my basic needs (i.e., safe housing) again as quickly.

Never have I yearned to turn back the hands of time and with the crystal-clear clarity of hindsight alter the past (for the better) more than in the wake of this summer’s crushing events.

Never have I been stronger.

Never have I wished more that an event (the – from my perspective at least – incredibly abrupt end of our beloved, sacred, one-of-kind marriage) in my/our life had not occurred (and that it would never have occurred, in an ideal world).

Never, for months on end, have I consciously had to choose quite as hard to some-inexplicable-how keep going when I was certain that death would hurt (me) infinitely less than what I was enduring in that excruciatingly difficult moment.

Never have I pined for someone even 1/1,000,000,000 as much as I do for Tony.

I wake up every day and continue to expect him to be right there beside me (or at least under the same roof). I experience something comparable to a phantom limb-like sensation of his hand in mind, feel his strong, protective arms around my body and his tender lips upon my own.

I hear his gorgeous Italian voice and his wonderfully infectious laugh. Feel the warmth of his soul reverting joyfully in synch with mine, see the wise and witty twinkle in his deep chocolate-hued eyes, listen to him pull into the driveway, snuggle together as we watch our favourite movies and TV series, face each of life’s challenges and positives alike as a mighty, love fuelled couple.

These things and countless others echo throughout my every breath and heartbeat.

With a few exceptions, though (for example, thankfully the two of us have remained on amicable terms and do interact periodically for various reasons, so I still get to see and hear Tony in person from time to time), I am phenomenally, soul-crushingly aware of the fact that they are no more.

And that, in turn, somehow I must – and already am – find(ing) the ability to exist without them. Without Tony as my darling husband, my lover, my best friend, my rock, my soulmate. Just as I must go on without our shared existence.

Both despite and, I firmly believe, because of the highly challenging difficulties of this year, I’ve actually made massive positive strides on the mental health front.

(I have experienced major depression, various types of anxiety, and some PTSD for much of my entire life. Though, mercifully, at this point in time, I’ve almost entirely healed from the latter. )

As a result, ironically, it could be said, I am currently in a healthier, more stable place on the mental health front than I have been in longer than I can precisely recall (think 10+ years – if not more like 20+ years).

From late September (2022) onward, I have begun to experience days of zero depression (often coupled with a huge reduction in anxiety as well).

Zip, zilch, nil, nada. Not a single iota.

I had all but completely forgotten what a state of being completely free of depression felt like.

It is, in some respects, akin to breathing pure air of the cleanest and freshest variety after decades of existing on bottled oxygen.

Not every day is completely depression free (yet?). However, even when that all-too-familiar state of mental being resurfaces, it almost always does so at a drastically lower level than what had become long become my norm for many years.

Whereas countless periods throughout my life were spent somewhere between 7 – 10 on the depression scale (with ten being the highest possible level), these days when it pops up here and there, it does so in the 1 – 2.5, maybe 3, max, range.  

In fact, it is so drastically reduced that I am finding these sorts of vastly lower levels of depression/melancholy have little to no impact whatsoever as far as I can perceive on my internal state, my day-to-day life, my interactions and relationships with others, and plenty of other things both big and small alike.

I routinely stop and marvel at this previously unimaginable change (sometimes it brings me to the point of shedding tears of happiness and gratitude). This current mental health miracle and the renewed zest for life (relative to everything that has been going on as of late) that it has firmly instilled in me once more.

That said, I am very aware that mental health challenges rarely follow a linear path. Be it in terms of their development or, when possible, their treatment/lessening/remission/healing.

Therefore, I fully accept that there may be (and feel that I am now considerably better prepared to face) potential future spikes in my depression, should they occur going forward from this year.

It is safe to say that there are usually myriad factors that contribute to a person experiencing serious ongoing depression (for me, most of my depression has always been situationally caused). And likely there are just as many – if not more – that must go into its reduction for those who experience this very real, very life-impacting mental health battle.

While, OF COURSE!!!, depression is obviously not something one can turn on or off like a light switch (far from it), I do think that in a fair number of instances there are steps that can be undertaken to help lessen its severity.

Personally, I knew that if I had a snowball’s chance of not only somehow surviving, but in time (I hope and pray with every ounce of my being) thriving again, it would be borderline impossible for me to do so while living on my own if my depression + anxiety were raging out of control.

Without the aid of any harmful substances, risky or self-destructive behaviours, or various other negative choices one could opt for, as I started to gradually piece my world back together again, I reexamined not only my life + myself in general but also my mental state.

In doing so, I began to realize there were quite a few mindsets, approaches to life, thought processes, elements of my daily existence, and so forth that were contributing undesirably to my mental health that I could either part ways with entirely or reduce/alter significantly enough for them to further help improve the innermost workings of my ol’ grey matter.

Recently, I wrote something to my dear sister, which I feel fits perfectly in the course of this post as well. Thus, I am going to share it essentially verbatim with all of you as well.

Every now and then, YouTube suggests a clip from the TV show Hoarders to me and I will sometimes watch it when that occurs.

In one of them I saw somewhat recently, a clinical psychologist they have featured many times over the years (Dr. Robin Zasio) said a line that resonated with me immediately: “I don’t know why people have to get so broken to heal, but that’s what happened with you.”

She spoke these words in relation to the hoarder they were trying to help, but I feel like that statement applies immensely to me as well. 

In what surely stands as the most painfully ironic series of events in my entire life, it would take being shattered into billions upon billions of infinitesimally small pieces and experiencing pain so searing it would make swimming in molten lava feel like doing a polar bear dip by comparison to start healing/improving some of the most challenging aspects of my existence. 

The past 5.5 months have been the absolute worst, most difficult, painful, stressful, and heartbreaking of my entire existence by an enormous mile. Virtually nothing of any importance about them has felt right, familiar, normal, comforting, easy, or complete. 

Sometime around late August, however, a thought occurred to me that I had never really had before. 

Just about every time prior in my entire life when something massive had come along that shattered my/our world (or a shattered a solid chunk of it at least), my gut instinct was to immediately scramble to put the pieces back together as close to the way they had been arranged before that event occurred. 

(One example of this is how in the immediate aftermath of the 2016 arson fire, without even stopping to give it conscious consideration, I instinctually thought that I needed to start building up a vintage/repro wardrobe again without pausing to ask myself if that was actually what my heart most wanted to do at that point in time.)

Objectively, I think that this reaction and approach are innate to most humans and that they are not necessarily bad/negative things in many instances.

The thought that struck me like a million tsunami waves crashing into my mind at the same time was, “What if instead of trying to piece back together everything that is shattered, you held onto the best/most important parts and strove to rearrange, remove, or replace, as applicable, the rest?”.

It was – and is – a concept both plainly simple and extraordinarily challenging. And yet, that is precisely what I have attempted – and will continue to actively do – to the best of my abilities.

~*~*~*~*~*~

I could easily fill a book the size of which would give War and Peace a run for its money discussing elements of this year’s life-altering events.

Sometimes though, it is best to know when to put the breaks on for the present moment and I feel like the above paragraphs are a solid place to do just that.

Now, those two (again) completely unintentionally published project share posts + this one itself aside, you may be wondering about my long-term plans for this blog.

I have not reached a point yet in my healing/trauma processing/life-rebuilding journey that would even begin to facilitate engaging in our wonderful blogging community + posting at my pre-July 2022 level again (which averaged 4 – 6 entries per month).

And though my new dedicated craft space has been set up since this September, I have not created a single paper crafting project since before this summer’s devastating events.

I will not make any promises at the moment regarding my blogging plans/schedule in the near to quasi-near future. That would not be fair to either of us.

However, what I will say is that, if possible, I would like to *try* to post at least one new entry here roughly every 4 – 10ish weeks throughout the initial (and possibly longer than that) months of 2023.

So whether I one day return to a similar pre-marriage-breakdown blog posting level or opt to share entries here somewhat less frequently, in the long run, I do intend to put more new content up on this site. Yay!

That is a welcome thought which makes me smile on a great many levels (as does thinking about the day when my MIA paper crafting mojo returns).

Thank you all again beyond words for your kind, extremely caring support and understanding in recent months.

I am certain that this year would have been notably more challenging for me were it not for your thoughtfulness.

Let me wrap up this post (hey, wait, wasn’t this supposed to be a small life update? Evidently, in true Autumn form, I couldn’t stop at just a tiny handful of paragraphs ) by wishing all of you the sweetest, safest, happiest, healthiest, and most magic(k)al of holiday seasons.

Whatever you celebrate, whatever you hold dear, whatever brings you inner joy this month, may these things and many other positives number more for you than all of the snowflakes that will tumble to the ground across the world this chilly season.

Merriest festive season and nothing but the best and brightest to each of you for 2023!

The post A Big Apology to All of my Readers and a Small Life Update appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

While in most parts of the Western Hemisphere the sunny season is still picking up plenty of steam and will be around for at least a few more weeks, the Summer Solstice marks the point on the calendar after which the days gradually grow darker again for the next six months.

If the Pagan sabbats were light switches, Litha (which, north of the equator, corresponds with the Summer Solstice) would be the one that flicks off the light.

Half a year later, as the chilly season is hitting its stride, Yule, lovingly turns the light back on for us.

Though it can be strange to think of The Winter Solstice/Yule as a time of light and warmth, December plants the earliest seeds for the spring, summer, and autumn ahead – each of which will house its own distinct proportion of daylight.

Litha is a merry, upbeat, and beautiful sabbat. It might not be quite as youthful as Ostara and Beltane, but it is far from advanced in age either.

In the classic archetypical viewpoint that aligns parts of the year with human age cycles, come Litha, the Goddess has reached firmly reached the mother/mature stage of her life and the God his father/mature point as well.

Whereas some view the Summer Solstice/Litha as the start of summertime proper, many others – including no shortage of ancient and traditional cultures – see it instead as the halfway point of summer.

This is why another common and much-loved name for the longest day of the year is Midsummer.

The Summer Solstice occurs on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, this time around and is, scientifically speaking, the astronomical first day of summer.

I do not have a dog in the proverbial fight regarding whether one wishes to view Litha as the start, middle, or really, any other point of summer.

One’s feelings on the matter often pertain to things such as the weather patterns in their area, their spiritual path, and, in some instances, their profession.

For example, most teachers and professor sI have spoken to over the years about this topic views the Summer Solstice as the start of summer in their (text)books.

Whereas those who hold jobs that see them spending most or all of their working hours outdoors tend to land more in the Litha as Midsummer camp.

The bigger picture is what matters more and that is in observing, honouring, and celebrating the shifting seasons, (north of the equator) the hottest slice of the calendar, and the longest day of the entire year.

As a number of you have emailed and DMed me asking if this Litha would be the one to house a list of craft projects pertaining to the Summer Solstice, I am more than happy to oblige and bring you just such a selection several days in advance of the next Neopagan sabbat.

The majority of these projects were not actually created with the sole intention of being for Litha. However, each of them – to borrow a great expression from the UK – works a treat on that front and is an ideal match for the balmy days of Midsummer.

Should you be meeting this periodically occurring Solstice/Equinox/Sabbat craft series for the first time or if you would like to revisit prior entries, thus far, you can do so for the following sabbats.

–Ostara

–Beltane

–Mabon

–Yule

In the past, I have discussed many aspects of Litha in posts such as 12 Ways to Celebrate the Summer Solstice Indoors During Covid-19 and 15 Essential Oils That are Perfect for the Summer Solstice.

If you are new to the concept of Litha or would simply like to read more about this sunny season sabbat, I highly encourage you to check out both of those entries.

In addition, before we hop headfirst into an inspiring selection of 35 wonderful Litha craft ideas, let’s take delve a little further into what Litha is all about.

Is Litha the start or middle of summer?

As touched on above, while astronomically speaking the Summer Solstice is the start of summer, it is up to each person to decide whereabouts on their personal calendar they opt to view as the start of this season.

Living in Canada, where snow has been known to fall during every month of the year and spring has often scarcely begun before it has no choice but to pass the baton to summer, I lean more towards Litha being the start of summer.

And yet… I firmly view the next Pagan holiday – Lammas / Lughnasadh – at the start of August as the inaugural fall time sabbat. Therefore, in a matter of speaking, Litha does become Midsummer by default.

No matter what, it is safe to say that Litha is a sunny, upbeat sabbat with no shortage of reasons to celebrate its return.

Other names for Litha

In addition to the name Litha, the Summer Solstice has long been known by and/or associated with various other special occasions that transpire in the same general time period.

Therefore, amongst others, the Summer Solstice and/or Litha are also known as Vestalia, Alban, Thing-tide, Gathering Day, Sun Blessing, Whit Sunday, St. John’s Day, and Whitsuntide.

Most of these terms are rarely used anymore in the 21st century. However, is useful to know them, all the same should you encounter these alternative Summer Solstice names in the course of reading or otherwise studying history.

And on a similar note, Litha is classified as being one of the four “Lesser Sabbats” (aka, “Low Holidays” or “Low Sabbats”).

Lesser sabbats are cross-quarter festivals that occur between the four “Greater Sabbats” of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lammas (with the other three Lesser Sabbats being those that also correspond with a solstice or equinox; thusly, Ostara, Mabon, and Yule, respectively).

Litha correspondences, Litha symbols, and Litha meanings

Broadly speaking, by this stage in the year the growing season – both wild and guided by humans – is well underway.

Many baby animals have been born in recent months and plenty still will come into the world between now and early autumn.

Though some crops have already been harvested or are on the cusp of being gathered, plenty of others are still hard at work growing to the best of their abilities.

They will be plucked, sorted, and sent to market at the tail end of summer and straight on into the golden days of fall.

Litha is a time to relax and savour nature, all that you have accomplished since last Yule/Winter Solstice, and to let the sun’s radiant light shine brightly on the plans, goals, and dreams that you may hope to achieve between now and the shortest day of the year in December.

Some of the most popular and beloved Litha correspondences and Litha symbols include the following:

-Litha symbols: The sun, sun wheels, sundials, fire including balefires and bonfires, torches, cauldrons, swords and daggers, athames, spirals, spinning wheels, candles in Litha colours, the Goddess in her mother/mature phase, the God in his father/mature phase, faeries and other wee folk, phoenixes, merfolk, the moon (as the Summer Solstice corresponds with the start of the astrological season of Cancer, which is ruled by the moon), stars, cleansing waters, sacred wells, seashells, feathers, and a wide array of flowers.

-Litha colours: Red, fuchsia, coral, salmon, peach, orange, yellow, gold, green, aquamarine, turquoise, vibrant blues and purples, tan, woody browns, gold, brass, bronze, silver, and white.

-Litha animals: Birds, butterflies, moths, dragonflies, fireflies, bees, ants, horses, cows, buffalo, wolves, bears, deer, lions, cougars/mountain lions, lizards, snakes, marine animals, and bats.

-Litha crystals and stones (amonst others): Sunstone, yellow apatite, citrine, pyrite, yellow fluorite, honey calcite, yellow topaz, amber, clear quartz, rose quartz, jasper, diamond, ruby (July’s birthstone), tiger’s eye, rhodonite, peridot, jade, malachite, aventurine, blue lace agate, ruby tourmaline, red beryl, carnelian, howlite, opal, and moonstone.

-Litha metals: Gold (including rose gold), brass, bronze, silver, and platinum.

-Litha foods: Fresh fruits (including berries, melons, and stone fruits, fresh vegetables (such as lettuce, tomatoes, corn, radishes, green and yellow beans, zucchini, and peas), potato salad, edible flowers and wild greens, dandelions, olives, lemons, oranges, grapefruits, limes, bread, cookies/biscuits, graham crackers, oatcakes, pies, pastries, cakes and cupcakes/fairy cakes, mead, ale, wine, ice tea, mint tea, lemonade, limeade, orange juice, grapefruit juice, fruit punch, milk (including non-dairy milks), sun tea, butter, cheese, cream and whipped cream, eggs, meringues, custards, frozen desserts (including ice cream), marshmallows, honey, honey cakes, olive oil, sunflower seeds, sunflower seed butter, popcorn, corn based foods such as tortillas, saffron, chives, lavender, mint, lemon balm, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, paprika, chili powder, chili flakes, seafood, poultry, grilled foods, and spring water.

-Litha herbs and other plants: Lemon balm, heather, mint (all types), basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, bay leaves, dill, sage, fennel, chicory, purslane, lavender, orange blossom, rue, yarrow, borage, summer savory, tansy leaves, lemongrass, elderflower, mugwort, vervain, lotus, roses, jasmine, honeysuckle, meadowsweet, calendula, red and white clover, dandelion, marigolds, chamomile, mistletoe, St. John’s Wart, moss, ferns, hemp, and flax.

-Litha flowers: Roses, marigolds, daisies, honeysuckle, wisteria, peonies, dahlias, lilies, jasmine, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, sunflowers, poppies, and wildflowers.

-Litha trees: Oak, Elder, fruit trees, linden, rowan, holly, Japanese maples, willow, hazel, laurel, and olive trees.

-Litha incense: Citrus fruits, berries, peach, mango, vanilla, sage, rosemary, cedar, pine, honeysuckle, jasmine, rose, lavender, verbena, patchouli, frankincense, myrrh, ylang-ylang, cinnamon, and mint.

Litha oils: See my list of 15 Essential Oils That are Perfect for the Summer Solstice, while also taking your cue from the many entries in this section that are available in essential oil form.

-Litha altar ideas: Draw from the many entries in this section when decorating your altar for Litha.

In particular, you may wish to include representations of the sun and/or moon, sun wheels, spirals, swods/daggers/athames, cauldrons, flowers, oak leaves, mistletoe, (garden) seeds, herbs, seashells, sand, candles in Litha colours, items pertaining to divination, floral garlands or crowns, Litha foods, dried slices of citrus fruit, objects relating to dragons and/or faeries, and crystals that suit Litha especially well.

Litha element: Fire (though all of the elements shine abundantly throughout the Litha season, very much including the element of water which has extremely close ties to the Cancer season).

-Litha planet/celestial object: The sun

-Astrological signs that correspond with the Litha season/Midsummer: Cancer and Leo (Leo season also corresponds with Lammas at the beginning of August).

-Litha goddesses: Alectrona/Electryone, Sol/Sunna/Sunne, Bast/Bastet, Freya, Beiwe, Aine, Flora, Ekhi, Brigit, Étaín/Édaín, Olwen, Aurora, Diana, Eos, Habondia, Persephone, Hepa/Arinna, Selene, Fotuna, Saulė, Amaterasu, Shemesh/Shepesh, Magec, Uelanuhi, Yhi, and Gnowee.

As well as the Goddess/Divine Feminine in her pregnant/motherly form.

-Litha gods: Ra, Sopdu, Inti, Huitzilopochtli, Tonatiuh, Savitr, Pan, Lugh, Apollo, Helios, Surya, Mithras, Belenos, Hathor, and Freyr.

As well as the archetypes/God personifications of the Holly King, the Oak King, and the Greenman.

(Note: These are not exhaustive lists of sun-related deities that would be a natural fit for the Summer Solstice. For a more thorough compilation, check out Wikipedia’s list of Solar Deities.)

As with each sabbat that comprises the modern Neopagan Wheel of The Year, Litha is not without its fair share of meanings and attributes that are closely associated with this poignant annual event.

Some of the most widely acknowledged Litha meanings and attributes include the following:

-Balance

-Harmony

-Abundance

-Revitalization

-Vitality

-Light

-Divine energy

-Youth

-The prime of life

-Advancement

-Divination

-Psychic abilities

-Dreams

-Growth

-Hope

-Prosperity

-Charging (crystals, candles, witches jars, magical tools, card decks, spiritually meaningful jewelry, etc)

-Fertility

-Healing

-Nurturing

-Caregiving

-Self-care and self-love

-Gardening (including faery gardens)

-Art and creativity

-Walking and hiking

-Remembrance

-Equality

-Family

-Nature

-Singing and chanting

-Dancing

-Drumming

-Solar energy

-Fire and fire magick

-The fae

-Dragons

-Harvest

If you are working magick at Litha, the entries above can each be excellent jumping-off points for your spells, rituals, blessings, prayers, ceremonies, and related activities.

35 stellar summer solstice crafts, DIY projects, and home décor ideas for Litha

1. Felt Midsummer Crown: Floral crowns are a timeless way to celebrate the abundance of blooms and greenery that calls the sunny half of the year home.

Fashion a Midsummer crown from felt that will last long after even the heartiest of summer flowers has gone into hibernation once again and enjoy wearing it or displaying it in your home.

Either way, it is a treasure of a creation and one that you will surely look forward to connecting with Summer Solstice after Summer Solstice.

2. How to Make a Pentagram Herb Dryer: Preserve the season’s choicest and most beneficial herbs with this fantastic DIY pentagram hanging herb dryer, which easily doubles as Pagan/witchy decor whether it is in use at the moment or not.

3. Felt Mermaid Dolls: One of my oldest and dearest online friends is a fabulously creative soul who makes the absolute sweetest felt and fabric creations.

I thought of her immediately when I spied this summertime perfect sewing project post that guides you through how to make adorable little felt mermaids.

These cutie pies are fabulous as toys, home decor pieces, party (or wedding) favours, or to give as gifts to all of the landlocked mermaids in your life.

4. Clay Pot Toadstools: Delightfully simple to make, these adorable clay pot toadstools are just the thing to inject a serious hit of whimsy into any garden (very much including faery gardens).

You could also use them as indoor decor, too, and there is no stopping you from including one (or more) of these darling handmade toadstools on your Litha altar.

5. Sun’s Out Crochet Drink Coasters: Celebrate the majesty of summertime sunshine with these vibrant yellow crocheted sun-shaped coasters, which could easily be used for many other purposes as well.

Place them under candle jars, adorn your altar with them, string a row together to make bunting, hang one in the window to honour summer’s warmth – the possibilities are nearly endless!

6. How to Make Cute Washcloth Teddy Bears: Far more adorable than fierce, these precious little washcloth bears are a great way to pay homage to one of the animals most closely linked to Litha/Midsummer (plus they make terrific gifts for baby showers, tea parties, hostesses, and anyone else you think would enjoy a cuddly washcloth teddy bear).

7. Dehydrated Citrus Gardaland DIY: Often associated with the winter holiday season, slices of dried citrus fruit can just as easily and effectively be utilized at other times of the year as well.

Two of my personal favourites are Imbolc and Litha, where, in both instances, glassine-like wheels of dehydrated lemons and oranges do a superb job of representing the sun.

Thankfully, making your own dried citrus fruit is not terribly tricky and once you have whipped up a batch or two, you can put them to work in a wide array of ways. Including, should you wish, this awesome dehydrated citrus garland (that would look amazing drapped across or hung over your Litha altar).

8. How to Make a Beaded Suncatcher: If ever there was a (Northern Hemisphere) sabbat that suited suncatchers to a tee, surely it would be Litha.

A handful of pretty beads, a crystal or charm, clear beading thread, and a key ring (or other suitable ring) are all you need to create your own captivatingly gorgeous suncatcher(s0 that will help you enjoy the season’s vibrant light all the more.

9. Gorgeous Free Dragonfly Cross Stitch Pattern: Soft, summery hues, beautiful blooms, and a trio of dazzling dragonflies combine to make one seriously lovely cross stitch pattern that doesn’t cost you a dime (though you may need to spring for the materials involved).

10. Decorated Mid-Summer Candles: How delightful are these lively patterned and beautifully hued DIY decorated candles?

A cinch to whip up, one need only reach for plain candles and either wax sheets or candle paint are all you need to whip up your own Summer Solstice perfect candles (two other similar candle decorating approaches would be to use melted candle ends or wax crayons in much the same manner).

11. Peach Bellini Sugar Scrub: Few fruits – and this is saying a lot considering how many of them are in their prime during the sunny season – sing with the heart and soul of summer more than peaches.

Having spent much of my youth (and no shortage of my adult years, too) in one of North America’s largest peach-growing regions, I have a particular soft spot for this scrumptious fruit and, in turn, just about anything that is peach-scented.

Should you melt for this lush fruit as well, why not give yourself a peach field pampering session by making a batch of your own peach bellini sugar scrub and putting it to good use in the tub anytime you are in the mood to savour the unmistakably beautiful aroma of this beloved summertime staple.

12. Cardboard Tube Grasshoppers: Despite their ubiquitousness with summer in many corners of the world, it is surprising how infrequently crickets and grasshoppers appear in summertime art, crafts, and home decor.

This sweet, very easy-to-make craft- which is terrific to create with kids – utilizes a humble cardboard tube and some pipe cleaners to make an adorable grasshopper that can you can either have leap around the house or park in one spot all summer long.

13. How to Transfer Photos onto Stones: Pretty much since I have been able to walk, I’ve been collecting little treasures (rocks very much included) from nature wherever I go.

If you do the same or just happen to have some suitable rocks (likely, quite literally) sitting around, why not turn them into impressively lovely works of art by transferring photos onto stones?

And should you happen to be a fellow Pagan/witch, this would be an awesome technique to use when making everything from altar decor to amulets.

14. Cherry Pompom Keychains: While the actual cherry growing season is but a few brief weeks or months in most parts of the world, when you create one of these super fun cherry pompom keychains you can keep the spirit of this delicious summertime classic going strong the whole year through.

15. Salt Dough Sun Plaque: As returning readers of this sabbat craft series may have noticed, salt dough lends itself marvellously to each point that comprises The Wheel of The Year.

In this instance, it is utilized to make an eye-catchingly lovely sun-themed plaque that, if stored correctly, should last you for many years to come (and which makes for a fantastic Litha altar decoration).

And fear not, if -like me – you must avoid gluten or are crafting with/for someone who does, it is entirely possible to make gluten-free salt dough that works every bit as well as the original version in the context of most salt dough crafts.

16. Easy Paper Plate Lemon Slice Bunting: Paper plates are an underrated craft supply item if you ask me. As this stylish DIY lemon slice bunting proves, there is no end in sight to what paper plates can do in the hands of creative individuals (in fact, the website that this tutorial hails from is devoted entirely to paper plate craft – how cool is that!).

17. DIY Underwater Seashell Candles: Many a long year ago, I managed a location of one of Canada’s most popular home goods stores called Stokes. It never failed to delight me as I watched certain items fly off the shelves. Back then (we’re talking roughly twenty years ago now), one such item was jelly candles.

Also known as gel wax candles, these eye-catching candles are fun, versatile, and can easily be made at home with the right supplies.

And while I cannot speak to how well they sell these days, based on the number of tutorials I have seen online for DIY jelly candles over the years, it is safe to say that they continue to have a loyal following.

Should you wish to try your hand at making some gel wax candles during the sunny season, may I suggest this beautiful version that utilizes real sand and seashells to create what surely must be one of the most summertime perfect forms of lighting ever devised!

18. Cute Painted Bottlecap Ladybugs: Those who were alive during and are old enough to remember the 1990s, may well recall the vogue for bottlecap crafts and jewelry that wove its way throughout that decade.

I was instantly reminded of this trend the moment I spied these darling little painted bottlecap ladybugs, which are a cinch to create and turn into magnets, papercrafting embellishments, jewelry, hair accessories, tiered tray decor, and more!

19. How to Make a No-Sew Fairy Doll: There is cute and then there is no-sew fairy doll cute!

Whether you create a single fairy friend or a whole garden’s worth, these delightful little handmade fairy dolls are a fantastic way to celebrate the strong connection between the fae and Midsummer.

20. DIY Sun Wheel Garden Decoration: If you are looking for an eye-catchingly terrific way to celebrate and honour the sun at Litha, this generously sized sun wheel may do the trick superbly.

You could also utilize the same general design approach to make a smaller version, should you wish to display or hang a DIY sunwheel up inside your home instead of outdoors.

21. Strawberry Acorn Magnets: Combine one of the spring + summer’s most beloved fruits with one of the fall’s most iconic natural treasures, stir some craft paint into the equation, and you are well on your way to making a shortcake’s worth of these super sweet little strawberry acorn magnets.

22. DIY Dollar Store Beehive Candleholder: Which sabbats (or months of the year, if you do not observe the Pagan sabbats) do you associate most closely with bees? For me, I would say that August takes top billing, but June and July are certainly close on its heels.

Bees are by far one of the hardest working members of the animal kingdom and their diligent activities have long helped to ensure plants and flowers the world over have been able flourish.

Shining the (tiny) spotlight on bees at Litha is a wonderful way to celebrate the natural world during the Summer Solstice season.

This darling DIY beehive candleholder is a great way to do just that without breaking the bank – meaning you’ll have more leftover in your pocket to pick up some delicious artisan honey at your local farmer’s market.

23. Lavendar Shower Steamers without Citric Acid: The shower time equivalent to bath bombs, shower steamers are surprisingly easy to make, infuse your wash with dreamily pretty aromas, and also make for fab handmade gifts (especially for those who have a shower stall, but not a bathtub at their residence).

This wonderfully in-depth tutorial guides you through how you can make lavender shower streamers that utilize one of the season’s most iconic and beloved plants. Plus, you can also use the same general recipe to make other types of essential oil-infused shower steamers as well.

24. DIY Pompom Watermelon Wreath: If you’re keen to whip up a bevy of your own pompoms and are a fan of watermelon-themed decor, this super charming wreath may be just the thing to jazz up any door or wall in your home summer after summer.

25. Citrus Stamped Tea Towels: I don’t know about you, but personally I can never have too many linens on hand in the kitchen and adore – as many people do – rotating seasonal ones throughout the year.

This delightful and very easy DIY project turns lemons into stamps and creates chic, beautiful tea towels that are works of art unto themselves.

26. Sea Glass Wind Chimes: Whether you are fortunate to live near the ocean or daydream about doing so, these awesome DIY sea glass wind chimes are a creative, beautiful way to bring one of the (modern) beach’s most resplendent treasures into your indoor or outdoor decor.

27. Herb Candle Rings (or Mini Wreaths): Gather up one or more of your favourite Midsummer herbs, a small embroidery hoop or wreath base, some thread, and a pair of scissors, then set to work creating this timelessly lovely Litha herb candle ring that makes for a fantastic altar decoration or way to imbue a sense of the season all the more into a centrepiece.

28. Maple Seed Dragonflies: When I was growing up, one of the houses that my family lived in for a few years had a magnificent, multi-decade old maple tree in the centre of its small front yard. My siblings and I enjoyed connecting with this tree in various capacities the whole year through, one of which was deftly twirling maple seed pods between our fingers to launch them into the air as “helicopters”.

To this day, anytime I spy maple seed pods on the ground, I think of the many hours spent engaged in this sweet, simple, entirely free outdoor activity as a child.

Now, as an adult, I love looking for ways to utilize maple pods in my crafting and home decor (and have been known to still send a helicopter or two up into the sky every now and then ).

If you or any of the little ones in your life enjoy doing the same, these elegant maple seed dragonflies are such an attractive way to do just that while honouring one of the season’s most adored insects in the process.

29. Sunflower Kissing Balls: Though they are most commonly associated with Christmas, kissing balls can just as easily be enjoyed throughout the rest of the year as well.

This delightful version sees them rendered in (faux) sunflower form for a piece of home decor that is bright, seasonally perfect, and sure to be a fun talking point when you have summertime guests over.

30. DIY Lavendar Stars: Fresh stalks from one of the most universally enjoyed plants and some slender ribbon are all you need to create these thoroughly beautiful lavender stars (which Pagans/Wiccans/witches may opt to see and use as summertime pentagrams).

31. Oyster Shell DIY Candles: Humans have been using shells as vessels for light-emitting products (such as oil and tallow) for thousands of years.

This fabulous contemporary project utilizes oyster shells as the containers for hand-poured candles that tap into the spirit of the sea, mermaids, tropical getaways and so much of what makes the ocean perpetually easy to adore.

32. Cherry Pie Food Amigurumi Crochet Free Pattern: There is no need to heat up the house further during the summer in order to bake a cherry pie when you can bust out the crochet hooks instead and whip up this adorable amigurumi version that does indeed look good enough to eat!

33. How To Make A Burlap Horse Head Wreath: Like countless others throughout the course of time, I absolutely LOVE horses and just about any craft, piece of art, or home decor item starring them.

I was not one of those lucky youngsters who had a horse or was given riding lessons (heck, I barely got a My Little Pony ), but I was fortunate all the same to engage with horses on a few occasions while I was growing up.

Horses – much like their farmyard companions, cows – are closely associated with Litha/Midsummer, and I can think of few more beautiful or creative ways to honour this majestic creature come the Summer Solstice than by making and proudly displaying this stunning burlap horse head wreath.

34. Quilted Strawberry Coasters: Keep furniture surfaces protected from the inevitable condensation that stems from refreshingly cold summertime beverages by sewing up a set of these sweet, charmingly lovely quilted strawberry coasters.

35. Air Dry Clay Sun Disks: Fun fact, air dry clay is one of my favourite mediums to work in. It is extremely versatile, readily available both online and off, does not require a kiln (or even an oven), and can be used to create countless types of handmade craft and decor projects.

Plus, IMO, it is a very user-friendly material that need not intimidate newcomers and which is also a great product to use when crafting with kids.

Celebrate the Summer Solstice by putting air dry clay to work in this cheerful DIY sun disk project that creates artistic pieces which can be used and enjoyed all sunny season long (and/or anytime you wish to focus on solar energy or solar deities).

PS: These lists of Solstice/Equinox/Pagan sabbat craft ideas and decor inspiration posts do not contain recipes. One day, I would like to launch a similar multiopart series that puts the spotlight on recipes that suit each of these special days to a tee as well.

In the meantime, though, I recently came across this gorgeous recipe for Lemon Pine Drizzle Loaf from Scottish blogger Rosie from Everything Looks Rosie that struck me as being endlessly perfect for Litha and so I just knew that I needed to include it here. (The general concept of this lovely loaf cake can be rendered in other iterations, too, such as gluten-free, vegan, paleo, and low carb, should you need/desire to forgo wheat flour and/or animal products.)

Ditto for her elegantly delicious Lavender Creme Brule, which would be a sublime way to cap off any spring or summertime meal.

Litha: the longest day and the shortest night

It is easy to focus on the fact that the Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year and in the process forget that as a result this sacred day also houses the shortest night.

These two points, which will reverse order come Yule (and which are, in fact, doing just that right now south of the equator, where many Pagans/Wiccans/witches in that hemisphere will soon opt to observe Yule), are unique to this day and this day alone each year.

It will be some time before we start to see a major decline in the number of daylight hours that illuminate our lives. When that point comes, we know that summer is getting ready to bow out and give autumn its due place in the eternal parade of the seasons.

I find there is a heightened sense of energy and vitality that emerges at the Summer Solstice – as though the universe is working overtime to charge our internal batteries which are often severely depleted by the colder months.

When I think of summer, I recall my youth and the sense of freedom that the dog days housed. Not just from school (which, bullying and a few teachers who will remain unnamed aside, I generally adored), but from the weight of winter’s chill as well.

Long hours of daylight meant afternoons that spilled into evenings spent at the beach, the water at the lake vying with that of a warm bath.

Night swimming – as the REM song of the same name states – “deserves a quiet night” and while the evenings were not always silent by any means, the noises that comprised their soundtrack only helped to cement the memory of backstroking under the moonlight.

Summer can be a challenging season, no two ways about it, but there is also endless reasons to fall all the more in love with it each year as well.

This season all but begs us to use each of our senses to the best of their abilities. There are brilliant sights, enchanting textures (from warm sand to the ticklish fuzz of a peach, gooey roasted marshmallows to lanky blades of grass beneath our bare feet), incredible scents and tastes, and no shortage of memorable sounds.

Think water splashing, warm evening breezes rustling through picturesquely green leaves, crickets serenading us with their nightly choir performances, squawking seagulls, fresh peapods being crisply snapped open, travelling fun fair rides operating late into the night, upbeat voices floating through the sunny sky, kids ringing bicycle bells, line-dried linens flapping merrily in the breeze, the iconic song of the much-welcome ice cream truck, and the unmistakable slip-slop of sunscreen being rubbed on one’s skin to name a but a few.

The crafts and décor ideas above tap into these sensory delights of summertime as well, reminding us even in the moment itself of the pleasures, gifts, and blessings of the growing season. Of vitality, hope, and – with any luck – at least three or more months until the first snowflake comes tumbling down again.

My birthday falls almost precisely between Litha and Lammas, and so both of those sabbats are all the dearer to my heart.

Naturally, you need not have a “cake day” during this period of the year to adore the Summer Solstice/Litha.

As with each rotation of the year’s mighty wheel these wonderful days, those that lie ahead of them, and the comfort that comes from knowing that no matter what life throws our ways, the seasons remain a steadfast constant, are there to be celebrated by one and all.

Springtime proper arrived mighty late here this time around and it remains anyone’s guess as to how long summer plans to set up shop.

No matter the duration, summer will propel us onward to autumn, the heart of harvest time, and all the tantalizing joys of the year’s next chapter.

Right here and now, though, there are summer fruits to be topped with lashings of pillowy whipped cream, games of frisbee to be played, concerts in the park to attend, and a whole slew of new sun-baked memories to be made throughout the coming summer months.

Happiest Summer Solstice and Litha wishes to each of you, my dear friends!

Let us all raise a glass of our favourite perfectly chilled beverage to that fact and to all that makes summer so unforgettably wonderful!

Are you planning to celebrate Midsummer this year? Which of the Litha/Summer Solstice projects featured in this post would you most like to try your hand at making?

The post 35 Stellar Summer Solstice Crafts, DIY Projects, and Décor Ideas for Litha appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Nature – though not immune to human wrath of course – seemingly unaware of the hardships and tragedies unfolding across the globe at the moment, follows a rhythm nearly as old as time itself.

The months and seasons will transpire no matter what we do. They were here long before you and I were born, and it is a virtual certainty they will be here long after.

For those who observe it, the Pagan Wheel of The Year is much the same.

While there is little historical proof that any ancient culture observed the exact same eight festivals/sabbats annually, contemporary Pagans and witches have combined elements of traditional seasonal celebrations to create a powerful eight-part sabbat system that aligns with the beliefs/practices of many (though certainly not all) who fall under these wide banners.

One of the neopagan sabbats that we do know a fair bit about and which has roots stretching back for many centuries is Beltane.

This is – in the Northern Hemisphere – the traditional Gaelic May Day festival. Along with Samhain, Imbolc, and Lughnasadh, these four comprised the main seasonal festivals observed by the early inhabitants of Gaelic settled lands.

Today these annual dates, which each fall between an equinox and a solstice, are often referred to as “Greater Sabbats” and “Cross-Quarter Days”.

Fascinatingly, back in the time of the ancients who inhabited various parts of Europe, Beltane heralded the start of the summer pastoral season.

It was not, we believe today, a mid-spring celebration, but rather the unofficial start of summer.

This view was held by various other cultures around the world, too, who saw May – not the latter days of June – as being the time when spring began to pass the torch to summer.

It is primarily for this reason that the sabbat of Litha (the Summer Solstice) which follows Beltane has traditionally been referred to as Midsummer in various cultures (including many in Central and Northern Europe).

Starting at Yule (if not Samhain) straight on to Imbolc and to a degree, even during Ostara, many witches/Wiccans/Pagans work diligently to honour the power of light and warmth. Candles, fires, warm colours, and everything from crystals to foods in sunny hues are employed to this end.

We know that our actions do not actually cause each season to return, but by working in tandem with them and celebrating both the present moment and the months ahead, we strengthen our ingrained bond to each chapter of the year all the more.

Though it is at Litha that the sun reaches its annual apex, with the Summer Solstice being the day of the year with the longest amount of sunlight, I cannot help but feel that so much of what we have worked towards and eagerly anticipated culminates in Beltane’s return.

In this post, we are carrying on with the periodically occurring series here in which a slew of crafts, DIY projects, and home décor ideas pertaining to one of the sabbats is rounded up in a handy-dandy spot for all those who may be seeking ideas and inspiration on this front.

Thus far, this series has covered the following sabbats:

–Ostara

–Mabon

–Yule

As you no doubt guessed, Beltane will be the focus this time around.

Before we dive headfirst into the list of forty awesome Beltane craft ideas, however, let’s explore the celebration of May 1^st a little more.

Part spring, part summer, entirely lovely

Beltane has one foot firmly planted in spring and the other – which I like to imagine as sporting a chic sandal – in summer.

Sitting precisely halfway on both the calendar and The Wheel of the Year from Samhain (+ Halloween), Beltane is an intensely liminal period unto itself.

South of the equator, many who observe the sabbats in reverse order to those in the Northern Hemisphere, are embracing Samhain just as we throw open our hearts once more to Beltane.

For those who count down the nanoseconds each year until Samhain’s return, the knowledge that from May 1^st onward, we will be closer to the end of October than further away from it is enough to make us downright giddy.

I adore Beltane and find my connection to it grows stronger with each fresh year. In a lot of ways, I have come to see it as the Samhain of the spring/early summer and find that I do indeed get rather excited + happy as May 1^st rounds the corner again.

On the day proceeding Beltane, April 30^th, I observe Walpurgis Night. This event is not a sabbat, but it is a traditional Central European event that some – both inside and out of the contemporary Pagan/witchy world – continue to mark centuries after its roots first took hold.

A sizeable percentage of my ancestry hails from the lands comprising Central and Northern Europe, and my own eclectic witchy bases the majority of its practises and beliefs around the Paganistic traditions of these lands. Thus, Walpurgis Night jives with my path all the more.

I have come to look at it a bit like the Beltane equivalent of Christmas Eve. Though the two observances do, of course, differ significantly!

Beltane is a joyous, gorgeous seasonal celebration that is open to one and all, regardless of their personal spiritual journey.

We each have a right to celebrate and delight in the return of May and the road it will guide us on as we venture forth towards full-fledged summertime.

Some of the most common and potent Beltane themes, correspondences, and symbols include the following:

-Fertility and new life

-Family

-Farm animals/livestock

-Herbs, herbal medicine, and herbal magick

-Grounding/earthing

-Seeds and sowing (both literal and metaphorical)

-Flowers and green plant life

-Baskets (including traditional May Day baskets)

-Birds

–Butterflies, bees, ladybugs, and other insects that are key garden helpers

-Sacred bodies of water (and water in general)

-Faeries and other wee folk

-Youth and remaining young at heart

-Passion, lust, and love

-Handfastings and weddings

-Floral crowns

-Ribbons

-Knots and knot/cord magick

-Growth (both in terms of the natural world and one’s own personal growth)

-Cleansing and purifying

-Bathing

-Sunshine and light

-Bonfires

-Wreaths

-Music and dancing

-Hobbies and passions

–Rainbows

-Unity

-The Greenman

-The Maiden entering the Mother/Mature phase of her lifecycle

-Both the Divine Feminine and the Divine Masculine

-Strength

-Optimism

-Positivity

-Manifestation

-Giving, sharing, and helping others

-Seasonal foods and feasts

-Varieties of incense and essential oil [LINK] centered around seasonal plants, flowers, fruits, and herbs (i.e., lilac, honeysuckle, rose, thyme, rosemary, lemon balm, strawberry, etc)

-Honouring and tending to the earth

-Listing to and following your heart

-Divination and connecting with the spirit world/ancestors

-Trusting your intuition

-Burning away/parting with elements that are holding you back or no longer serving you well

-Adventure

-Growing further in one’s spirituality

-Uniting and permeating the mundane with a greater sense of the sacred

-Nurturing and compassion (very much including self-care and self-love)

-Balance

-Harmony

Other names and alternative spellings for Beltane include – but are not limited to – Beltaine, Belltaine, Bealtaine, Beltain, Beltine, Beltany, Bealteine, Bealtuinn, Bealltainn, Boaldyn, Lá Bealtaine, Latha Bealltainn, Cétamain (the Scotch Gaelic word for “May”), Céad Shamhain, Cétshamhainin, Mayfest, and May Day.

Colours associated with Beltane include (but, again, are not limited to) the following:

-Pink

-Coral

-Red

-Yellow

-Peach/apricot

-Orange

-Green

-Aquamarine/turquoise

-Sky blue

-Purple (particularly lavender, lilac, hydrangea, pansy, and violet shades)

-Gold

-Taupe/sand

-White

A case could be put forward that Beltane is the merriest of the sabbats. It is bathed in light, adorned with countless new blooms, and full of a positive, hope-sparking energy that is all but palpable.

And in some respects, it is for those whose hearts beat in unison with the shifting seasons.

If you would like to learn more about Beltane, please check out my previous posts focused specifically on the subject:

–12 Awesome Nature-Centered Activities for Beltane (Guest post that I wrote for the Witch of Lupine Hollow website.)

–15 Excellent Pantry Staple Foods for Beltane and Their Magickal Properties

–25 Books That Are Wonderfully Well-Suited to Beltane

Clearly, I enjoy list entries when it comes to Beltane!

Whether you observe Beltane as a Pagan sabbat or not, we can all embrace and let our creativity shine as vibrantly as the newly returned spring sunshine during these early days of May.

Many of these projects are well suited to Ostara and Litha (and even Lammas, too, for that matter), so there is little to say you must automatically whisk them off into storage come the Summer Solstice.

While the bulk of these crafts are not ones that were designed specifically for Beltane, each contains elements/themes that are squarely at home in this cheerful chapter of the year and therefore easily landed themselves on this list.

I had a stellar time scouring the web for these Beltane-appropriate projects and hope that they bring you no shortage of enjoyment and inspiration as well.

40 Fantastic Beltane Crafts, DIY Projects, and Décor Ideas for May Day

1. Green Man Mask: Embodying elements of both nature and the sacred/divine masculine, the Green Man is an ancient archetypical figure who symbolizes rebirth, new life, nature, and harmony.  

This exquisitely lovely mask looks complex, but objectively, is not that tricky to replicate yourself – especially if you have experience in working with polymer clay.

Whether you wear your completed Green Man mask, use it on your Beltane altar, incorporate it into springtime magickal workings, or set it out as a gorgeous display piece, this is one of those handmade treasures you are bound to reach for year after year.

2. Woodland Mason Jar Lights: What would a craft project roundup post be without at least one mason jar project?

But seriously, there is a good reason why this most humble and hardworking of canning supplies has become a mainstay not only in that arena, but also in the realms of home décor and crafting.

Take this beautiful illuminated jar project for example. It is easy, budget-friendly, and a cinch to put together.

And once you have done just that, you have a breathtaking way to illuminate any dark or nighttime setting. And one that would also, I cannot help but think, make for a stellar addition to just about any woodland wedding setting.

3. Knit Flower Basket Tea Cosy: I have a thing for cozies – toaster, hot water bottle, tea kettle, you name it! If it can reside in its own darling little house, so to speak, I melt faster than butter on hot toast.

This whimsical flower basket knit tea cosy is equal parts adorable and elegant, and strikes me as an excellent gift to whip up and give for Mother’s Day (which, here in North America, is coming up next month).

Plus, for all those tea witches and herbologists out here, this would be an especially lovely way to keep your favourite magickal brew warm.

4. DIY Magic Paintbrush: Clever, resourceful, and very pretty, this creative project breathes new life in old paintbrushes and can be adapted to fit any colour palette your heart desires. Why not go for a rainbow now, fall colours in a few months, and icy cool or rich reds + greens for wintertime?

5. DIY Beltane Incense Recipe: Making (typically, loose) incense yourself can be a potent and highly enjoyable way to not only deepen your connection to this beloved product, but also potentially come up with some awesome and very unique blends in the process.

Take Moody Moon’s lead and put together your own festive incense mix this Beltane season. Ensuring, of course, that it is burned in a fire-safe receptacle (such as this terrific little cast iron cauldron), as loose incense does not work well or safely with most types of stick incense holders.

(Also on this same site, be sure to check out the author’s delightfully delicious recipe for Beltane Faerie Cakes with Candied Violets.)

6. DIY Paper Bird’s Nest: The simplest of supplies are all it takes to create these sweetly beautiful paper bag bird’s nests that look like they took ages to make, but which are actually a (springtime) breeze to put together.

They are every bit as at home for Beltane/May 1^st as they are Ostara/Spring Equinox and Litha/Summer Solstice, and would also be such a fun and festive way to present small gifts to friends, relatives, neighbours, teachers, and so forth throughout the year.

7. Beautiful Beaded Wind Chimes: When I was a little girl, my paternal grandparents had several different sets of wind chimes hanging from the roofing over their deck. Each time the wind rustled through them, it sounded like pure magick to my young ears.

Decades on, I delight no less in seeing, hearing, and even making wind chimes. If you enjoy any of those things as well – or know someone who does – this versatile and very lovely beaded wind chime project may be right up your (breezy) alley.

Plus, it is a great way to use up some of that “bead soup” that so many of us crafters naturally amass over the years.

8. Garden Creatures Cross Stitch Pillow: Fun fact, cross stitch – along with papercrafting and beading/jewelry making – is one of my top three favourite crafts of all time. I have been making tiny “Xs” on aida cloth since I was five or six years old and while these days I rarely have anywhere near the time I wish I did to devote to this passion, I try to get in at least a wee bit of cross stitching annually.

If you likewise enjoy this classic form of needlework and are looking for a charming springtime pattern to stitch up, allow me to suggest this adorable garden themed one that can be turned into a pillow or left flat and framed, as you desire.

9. Lavender DIY Wands: By far one of the most popular sunny seasonal plants the world over, lavender and its telltale scent are just the thing to imbue a beautiful sense of nature into any Beltane or May Day celebration.

This lovely project utilizes lavender and ribbon to create elegant wands that you can put to work in a wide variety of ways. Use them to scent linens, group a few as a centrepiece, use them on your Beltane altar, give them as gifts, or if so inclined (they are technically wands after all) as part of your magickal springtime workings

10. Easy DIY Paper Flower May Day Wreath: While Kristy – the skilled designer of this project – uses a digital die cutting machine to create the flowers in her example here, you could easily replicate this darling May 1^st wreath using manually/electronically die cut flowers or simply hand-cut and shape several blooms from scratch.

No matter what approach you take, you are bound to create a great little wreath that can easily be left out on display the whole sunny season through.

11. Peas in a Pod Crochet Pattern: There is cute, and then there is uber kawaii. This ridiculously adorable “peas in a pod” crochet project falls squarely into the latter camp and is an awesome way to celebrate one of the season’s most delicious garden offerings.

12. A Beautiful Grass Heart Craft: Nature provides the supplies at the heart of this enchanting craft project and highlights the depth of creative possibility that resides in even the most humble of materials.

13. May Day Flower Baskets Made from Tin Cans: Rare is the time I am not enthusiastically on board with recycling or upcycling everyday items into something creative, clever, and – frequently – very handy.

This sophisticated-looking, very inexpensive project hits all of those nails on the head and leaves you with one or more pint-sized flower baskets that can be filled with the real deal, artificial blooms, small gardening tools, writing implements, or just about anything else that fits inside of them.

14. DIY Leaf Pinwheels: An excellent craft to make with little ones, these lovely pinwheels utilize real leaves to make a classic toy that can easily double as a centrepiece, home décor item, or even – if multiples are grouped together – a wonderfully unique bouquet.

15. Easy DIY May Day Baskets: The tradition of May Day baskets, or posies, stretches back for centuries, and holds no less charm and appeal in the 21^st century as it did for those of the past.

These festive hangings are a joy to make, place around your home, and give as gifts – be it for Beltane/May 1^st, Mother’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, or any other occasion you feel they would be a natural fit for.

16. Mini DIY Butterfly Pinatas: There is no need to wait for a birthday party to bust out – and open – the pinatas – especially if they are quick and simple to make versions like this adorable mini butterfly version.

Just think, for example, how sweet and special would it be to put one of these on (or alongside) each person’s place setting at an Ostara, Easter, Beltane, Mayfest, Mother’s Day, Wedding Shower, or birthday party.

And while we associated pinatas with candy, you can technically fill them with other small items instead, too (i.e., small craft supply items, costume jewelry, or beautiful little crystals – make sure, though, that if you include anything that could easily break if dropped that you instruct your guests to open their miniature pinatas over a table or soft surface such as a sofa).

17. Pressed Flower and Leaves Bookmarks: Preserve some of the season’s loveliest little blooms and leaves with this creative, low-cost bookmark project that is perfect to do with kids or (other) adults alike.

And don’t worry, a laminator is not essential here. Clear contact paper can be used instead to deliver the same kind of long-lasting results when creating your homemade pressed leaf and flower bookmarks.

18. Ribbon Streamers: No life-sized maypole to dance around this Beltane, but still in the mood to connect with the symbolization and enjoyment alike that colourful ribbons can present?

May I suggest these vibrant DIY ribbon streamers which you can flutter in the breeze, dance with, securely hang up to flutter in the wind (though, do keep in mind the materials used may not be weatherproof, so bring them inside after your festivities are over), use as a Beltane/May Day decoration, or leave out year around an upbeat piece of rainbow hued home décor.

19. Printable Strawberry Treat Boxes: A printer and the most basic of craft supplies (white cardstock, ribbon or twine, and adhesive) are all it takes to construct these precious little strawberry treat baskets.

Use them for gift giving, send them off in lunchboxes with a yummy bite to eat and a handwritten note tucked inside, or gather several in a basket or bowl and use them as a sweet-as-the-real deal springtime home décor item.

20. Coffee Filter Dancers: Don’t you just love it when the most basic of everyday items can easily be transformed into something enchanting?

I certainly do and as such, instantly fell head-over-heels for this cute, creative, and unexpectedly elegant use of coffee filters.

Compose a handful of these pipe cleaner beauties and place them around a tabletop mini maypole or anywhere else around the house that you wish. They are enchantingly sweet and perfectly suited to springtime.

Plus, with the addition of paper wings, they could easily become faeries or angels.

21. Quaint Flower Socks Free Knitting Pattern: In a season famous for the return of open-toed shoes, knit socks might not be the first thing we think of slipping onto our feet. And yet, not every pair of knitted socks needs to be blizzard-in-January thick/warm by any means.

This sweet, #cottagecore perfect floral themed thin knit pair is a wonderful way to keep on wearing woolen socks long after the last snowman has melted for the year.

22. Make Mosquito Repellant Candles: No word of a lie, many is the year when, in the span of two weeks or less, we have gone from multiple inches of snow on the ground to all but needing to take a bath in buy spray to keep the plagues of mosquitos as bay.

For my entire life, I have been one of those people that mosquitos instantly gravitate towards. So much so, in fact, that when I was growing up some of my relatives used to state (only vaguely jokingly) that they would not get a single bite themselves so long as I was nearby.

Suffice it to say, as someone who adores the outdoors but does not want to be an all-you-can eat buffet for the local ‘skitters, I am always on the prowl for natural ways to help combat this pesky element of the sunny season.

These easy, attractive looing DIY mosquito repellant candles are just the thing to utilize from the first telltale high-pitched buzzing sound until the last all spring, summer, and autumn long.

23. How to Make Pipe Cleaner Daisy Rings: One of the crafting world’s most classic and versatile products springs (seasonally related pun intended) to life in this super fun DIY jewelry project.

Pipe cleaners are all you need to create one, two, five, or a whole garden’s worth of vibrantly hued daisy rings – that, while certainly well-suited to youngsters, can also be a blast to wear as an adult as well.

Plus, how great would creating these be as a make-and-take craft project during a child’s birthday party?

24. DIY Woodland Butterfly Wreath: There is just something about both wreaths and butterflies that suits spring every bit as wonderfully as tall stacks of strawberry shortcake.

If, like, me you can never get enough of either, this sophisticated butterfly themed wreath – which is a snap to make – is a marvellous way to inject a hearty dose of the great outdoors into your interior décor all season long. (Honestly, this project is gorgeous enough to happily leave out the whole year through, if so desired.)

25. Mini Maypoles in 3 Easy Steps: From well-known (and ever-so-creative!) Pagan blogger Moody Moons, comes this easier-than-pie approach to making darling little mini maypoles that can be used Beltane after Beltane. They are upbeat, festive, and meaningful all in the same go.

26. How to Make Lavender Bath Sachets: Themes of cleansing, purification, bathing, and water in general are tightly interwoven with Beltane. Celebrate and connect with them all the more by setting aside some time to savour a gorgeously aromatic soak in the tub care of these lovely DIY lavender bath sachets that are just about as easy to make as turning on the faucet.

27. Sweet Strawberry Painted Rocks: The immense interest in rock painting that swept through the craft world a few years ago is continuing to stay strong – and for good reason! Rock painting is fun, fairly budget-friendly, and endlessly versatile.

Case in point, these adorable little strawberry rocks. How fab would a handful of these be scattered across a table for a tea, garden, Mother’s Day, or birthday party? Or what about in a decorative bowl on the breakfast table to brighten the mornings of all who see them before heading off for their day?

(Note, while not specified in this lovely DIY tutorial post, if you want the painting on your rocks to really last over time, I suggest covering them with a layer or two of suitable clear varnish/sealant once the acrylic painting has thoroughly dried.)

28. DIY Mini Maypole Cakes: Unlike most of the other projects featured in this post, these mini bundt cakes themselves are not intended to be reused year after year.

However, so long as you do not include any perishable items on them, the cute little handmade maypoles that top them can certainly be utilized multiple times (just make sure they are cleaned of any food residue before storing them away until the following Beltane/May Day) – which is worth doing a happy dance around the nearest maypole over!

29. Crochet Magnolia Applique: This detailed how-to post guides you through all of the steps (and supplies) needed to create as many elegantly prettyu crochet magnolia appliques as your heart desires.

Use them to embellish clothing, wreaths, centerpieces, napkin rings, papercrafting projects, gift wrap, or whatever creative idea your mind can dream up!

Note: Calling all crocheters, the very talented Olena, who created this wonderful project has also made and shared scores of other crochet flower patterns on her site, many of which she links to in this post.

30. Rainbow Pinecone Fairies: Precious, colourful, and sweeter than springtime honey, these adorable little pinecone fairies are a cinch to put together, make for a great project to do with kids, and are no less at home on a bookshelf or dining room table as they would be on your Beltane altar.

31. May Day Mason Jar Gift with Free Printable Tags: Spread some festive springtime cheer to friends, neighbours, relatives, colleagues, or anyone else you fancy by surprising them with one (or more) of these super easy to make jars full of sweet springtime blooms that are both plant and holder in one.

32. Ribbon and Flower Crowns: Utilizing two items that have long been associated with Beltane/May 1^st, this enchanting craft project creates a beautiful floral crown that can be worn for years to come –  and/or put to work as a really lovely piece of seasonal décor.

33. Handmade Beaded Butterfly Brooch: Various colours of seed beads, thread, felt, and a suitable clasp pin (or even a safety pin) are all you need to bring this beguilingly lovely butterfly brooch to life.

Copy it as it sits now, or switch up the colours and/or types/sizes of tiny beads and create a whole flutter’s worth of butterflies to wear yourself, give as gifts, or pin in suitable spots around your home as whimsical seasonal décor pieces.

(Related side note: There are multiples terms in English for groups/flocks of butterflies. Two of my favourites are “flutter” and “kaleidoscope”, as both make perfect sense to me. Additional names for groups of butterflies include bivouac, flight, swarm, army, roost, rabble, and wing. Which one/ones do you like best?)

34. Flower Cross Stitch Mini Baskets: While, understandably, we tend to associate springtime baskets with Ostara and Easter, they are no less apt, charming, or beautiful at other points in the spring and summer as well.  

These sweet little cross stitch baskets are far easier to make than they may appear at first glance and can be used to hold a wide array of items from wrapped candies to spools of thread, small bouquets of blooms to servettes at a picnic, tea or garden party.

35. Decoupage Pansy Votive Holder Jars: In the past few weeks, I have suddenly felt pulled towards a craft that for all intents I have not dabbled in for many a long year at this point: decoupage.

Fittingly, I recently hit upon this delightful decoupage votive holder jar project that stars tissue paper pansies and creates a magical little light source for those delectably warm spring and summer evenings spent outdoors.

Naturally, these votive holders can be put to work inside the house as well – and you can certainly swap out the pansies for another type of flower or different type of image entirely. For example, how fabulous would these be with a swarm of fireflies depicted on them?

36. Painted Umbrella Wreath for Spring: Though the classic adage states that April showers bring May flowers, the fact of the matter is that in many corners of the world, May can be a pretty drizzly month unto itself!

Tap into the eternal association between springtime and rain showers care of this clever + beautiful wreath that utilizes an umbrella to hold your favourite seasonal blooms. Colour me smitten!

37. How to Make a Button Bouquet in a Salt & Pepper Shaker: This awesome wire craft employs a few easy-to-obtain items and creates a conversation-starting gem of a floral bouquet that will last long after the final rays of summer sunshine have gone into hibernation for another year.

(As well, you could always switch up the colour palette and create button bouquets for other holidays and special events, too. Naturally, I am envisioning a dark, gothy arrangement for Halloween and/or Valoween.)

38. DIY Homemade Rose Petal Bath Soak (4 Ways): Of all the blooms that grow across the globe, no other ranks higher for me personally than roses.

Naturally, I am far from alone in my passion for this stunning, richly aromatic flower.

This Beltane season, celebrate the purification and revitalization properties of water + cleansing by whipping up one of the four different versions of DIY rose petal bath soaks that are housed in this terrific, photo-filled how-to project post.

39. Soft Fabric Strawberries Tutorial: Easy enough to be hand sewn if you do not own (or wish to use) a sewing machine, these precious fabric strawberries add pep and colour to any setting and would be just the loveliest thing to give as a hostess, Mother’s Day, wedding shower, or other occasion gift all spring and summer long.

40. DIY Pentacle Wind Chime for Spring: Beltane and wind chimes are a perfect match in my books, as the latter utilizes melodic sounds created by the hand of nature to create an enchanting background to the sun-kissed months of spring and summer.

This awesome example can be made in whatever colours you desire, dressed up or down, and used both indoors or (in a suitable spot where the elements won’t wreck it) outdoors.

And should you be on the hunt for books about Beltane, you can find a number of them listed in my post, Your Ultimate Guide to Books on The Pagan Sabbats.

PS: If you are looking for ways to better organize your craft supplies + creative space to help make whipping up beautiful springtime projects like these all the more of an enjoyable process, pop on over to my recent post 50 Super Helpful Craft Supply and Craft Room Organizational Ideas.

Light, warmth, fertility, love, harmony, and optimism

These are common themes that run through Beltane each year. They are not the only ones though, and as with each of the sabbats, it is up to the individuals who observe them to work with the themes, concepts, and (if applicable) deities that you personally feel most connected to in your practice.

Interestingly, despite being one of the warmer sabbats in much of the Northern Hemisphere, fires – particularly bonfires – are an activity pertaining to Beltane that stretches back to the ancient inhabitants of what is today the UK, Ireland, and some of the Norse lands.

Traditionally, either on the evening prior to May 1^st or the night of Beltane itself, household candles and hearth fires would be doused or snuffed out. Inhabitants of the community would then gather together as a sizable bonfire was lit (often on a hill or other steeper vantage point).

Various rituals were often carried out in conjunction with the Beltane/May Day bonfire. One of the best known of which was driving livestock (particularly cattle) between two separate, but very closely situated, fires as an act of purification, blessing, and strength.

This tradition was documented as continuing to take place in parts of the UK and Ireland well into the 19^th century and it is thought that at least a few European farmers continue it to this very day.

Much as with livestock, humans would sometimes also walk between the fires or – assuming the flames weren’t too dangerously high – possibly even leap over fires at Beltane as well.

Torches alight with flames from these communal fires would be taken home to rekindle hearths, candles, rushlights, and oil lamps in the hopes of a bright future in the coming growing and harvesting months.

As these fire(s) burned down and it was safe to then do so, in some areas, people would anoint themselves and/or their animals with ashes. Others are believed to have also been scattered across fields and budding crops to help ensure a prosperous harvest in the coming summer and autumn months.

Acts such as these tap into the ancient practice known as sympathetic magic/magick (sometimes also referred to as imitative magic/magick).

In this case, the fires of Beltane represented the sun, while also acting as a form of ritual purification that helped to burn away negative energy, sources of harm, and lingering challenges from the previous year leading up until May 1^st.

These are all benefits that each of our lives is bound to be bettered by. Therefore, it is of little surprise that some people continue to light fires – be they roaring bonfires or the flames flickering atop tiny chime candles – upon May’s return.

Another common element of early Beltane celebrations was that of food and feasting.

Given the wonderful array of fresh produce returning to farmer’s markets and grocery store shelves (not to mention home gardens) these days, honouring the start of May with a scrumptious feast can be an excellent way to connect further with this meaningful point in the calendar.

Naturally, so can letting your creativity soar far and wide as well.

Whether you opt to follow any of the projects shared above, take a general sense of inspiration from them, or go down your own artistic path entirely, allow these revitalizing days of mid-spring (or early summer, as you please ) to fuel the proverbial bonfires of your own creative undertakings this Beltane season.

Do you view Beltane^t as being more aligned with spring or summer? Which of these festively lovely May 1^st craft ideas jump out at you most of all?

The post 40 Fantastic Beltane Crafts, DIY Projects, and Décor Ideas for May 1st appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

As someone whose paper crafts are rarely small in size or lacking in dimensional elements, I had been on the prowl for just such a product since the day I completed my first scrapbook page (in the fall of 2010). Therefore, as you might guess, I snatched it up immediately.

I got through that package fairly quickly and I was not able to locate another one afterwards.

Now, more than a decade on, the name of the company that manufactured it has long faded from my memory (as has the precise dimensions of that cardstock pack; it *might* have been in the range of 15×18 or 16×20 inches, but please do not quote me there!).

Every now and then, I still deep-dive on the ol’ interwebz, trying to see if I can find scrapbooking friendly (aka, acid-free and, ideally, lignin-free) cardstock and have yet to unearth much that fits the bill.

If having a given project be archivally safe is less of a concern, there are a few – mostly white and cream coloured – options out there. For example, Strathmore JAM Legal Cardstock comes in at 8.5 x 14 inches.

Even there, while you gain two inches on one measurement, you drop back down to letter size on the other. This means that the total dimensions of this product are not all that different from standard twelve-inch cardstock.

At the time of writing, Amazon also has some white and cream legal size cardstock options available as well. However, they are a bit lower weight than Strathmore’s offering and are the type of cardstock often employed for use as restaurant menus.

Handy as having sheets of cardstock larger than the industry standard (biggest size of) 12×12 inches can certainly be, what I wish existed even more is oversized scrapbook page protectors – and in turn, scrapbook albums themselves.

That way, I would not have to get creative all the time when it comes to how to store the layer + dimension loaded 12×12 inch scrapbook pages that I adore making.

I swear, if I ever have the incredible opportunity to either launch my own papercrafting line or partner with an existing one, oversized scrapbook albums will be one of the very first things I try to bring to market!

Right here and now, though, I do not have any cardstock (or albums) larger than 12×12 inches in my stash. Thus, when I need to go wider than that – or than the max width of a folded sheet for a card – I need to adhere two or more pieces of cardstock together.

Objectively, I don’t make too many projects that exceed standard scrapbook layout, card, and slimline card sizes, but it does happen occasionally.

Case in point, the delightfully springtime-y thank you card at the heart of today’s post.

I am huge on both being grateful and expressing gratitude, so when someone else does something kind, caring, generous, or otherwise thoughtful for me, I truly love to express my appreciation to them.

Sometimes, even if you factor in oversized slimline cards (such as my Sweetly Spooky Oversized Slimline Springoween Card), standard sizes of homemade cards just do not feel large enough in my books – especially when one is keen to present a visual representation of their abundant appreciation.

That was precisely what I was aiming for when creating this card to send along to a dear friend who showers me with kindness on a regular basis.

And thus, this oversized thank you card was born.

Charming Springtime Bloom and Bird Oversized Thank You card

The method that I generally employ when creating oversized cards with dimensions that exceed those that a single piece of 12”x12” cardstock can be folded into, is to determine what size I want my card to be and then cut matching sized pieces of out of two (or however many are required for a given project) pieces of cardstock.

So long as their sizes match up, it is not strictly necessary that you use identical sheets of cardstock for each, as one piece will be for the front of the card and the other one serves as the back of the card.

That said, I do tend to use the same cardstock for both sides. Mixing it up can be lots of fun too, though, especially with holiday season greeting cards. Think red on one side, green on the other for Christmas or black and orange for Halloween.

Once the matching pieces have been cut out, I line them up so that one is evenly placed on the other and then adhere about 1/8th to 1/4^th of an inch from the top of one piece of cardstock and attach it to the other.

You can do this with various products, such as the following:

-Glue sticks

-Liquid glue that isn’t too runny or likely to warp your cardstock

-Tap runner adhesive

-Adhesive dots and squares

-Staples (Tim Holtz’s Tiny Attacher stapler works awesomely in this context – and many others, too, of course!)

-Stitching (thread, embroidery floss, etc)

-A row of small brads or eyelets (If they are going to be visible, try to match them with the other colours used on your project.)

This is one of those rare times when I don’t reach for dimensional adhesive, however, as I usually want the top edge of my card to resemble a standard folded card top. I find that things such as dimensional glue dots/foam and hot glue can make achieving that look trickier, so typically skip them in this instance.

Utilizing this approach, you could make a card as big as 12×12 inches if you wanted! Or, theoretically, larger still if you overlapped the edges of two or more pieces of cardstock just a touch and adhered them together to achieve whatever dimensions you were after.

For my oversized springtime thank you card, two matching pieces cut from sheets of 12×12 inch cardstock were plenty.

Much like myself, the recipient of this greeting is someone who loves to live closely in tune with both nature and the seasons. As it is headed their way soon, I went full-on springtime with my choice of colours, images, and embellishments.

I have a few skeins of twisted cord trim in my papercraft stash that I have been itching to start working with. A card this big and bold seemed like the ideal time to do just that, so once I had selected the papers I would be working with here, I partnered them with a suitably coloured twisted cord.

I am delighted with how using this type of trim to create a border for my card turned out and highly suspect that I will utilize it again not only for cards, but also on things such as scrapbook pages and tags.

If you have – or wish to pick up – some twisted/braided trim of your own, I highly recommend giving this embellishment technique a go!

Just make sure that you have sturdy adhesive on hand to hold it in place. Unlike above, now is the time to bust out your trusty glue gun – or you could use a powerful liquid adhesive such as E6000 (doing so in a well-ventilated workspace, of course).

The Bo Bunny floral print piece of paper that I used behind my central bird image here had a delightfully pretty scrolling banner as part of its illustration. I utilized that as the spot for my sentiment – extending the letters a bit beyond it on the right-hand side, as that part of the banner is covered by flowers in that paper’s design.

This too was a fun technique (utilizing a printed banner image) and change of pace from stamping and/or die cutting a banner and using it in much the same capacity.

While there are numerous layers and embellishments here, I didn’t want the overall card design to read as (in my books at least! ) too busy. Plus, given that it was going to be posted out, I wanted to use materials that would hold up well for this card’s lengthy journey through the international mail system.

Despite the fact that I love it, I do not work with royal blue very often in my paper crafting. As a result, I was quite a happy camper regarding getting to do so here.

Clearly, my latest strong interest in utilizing blue in my cards (which took hold last fall and can be seen in some of my seasonal projects back then, such as this Chicly Spooky Multi-Window Halloween Ghost Shaker Card) is still going strong. I do not mind one iota.

Blue, with its countless hues, is an extremely versatile colour and one that I have rarely met a soul who did not like (with plenty of folks listing it as their fave colour, point-blank).

It is also an ideal match for spring and summertime projects, as it can call to mind everything from perfectly pristine blue skies to the twinkling waters of our favourite beaches.

For the elegant white crochet-style trim/lace that appears here in two areas, I utilized the trim as a whole for the central piece and then cut it down the middle and attached one half to each side of the bird image.

This is a terrific approach to take with suitable trims/laces when you want two different widths of the same product (and/or simply don’t want to “waste” trim by obscuring it with other layers/embellishments).

I was thrilled with how this sweet, beautiful springtime thank you card turned out and hope that the person I am giving it to will delight in its seasonal charm as well.

Products used to make an extra big springtime thank you card

-Pale peach or pink cardstock (cream or ivory could easily be used here instead, if desired)

-Royal (or cobalt) blue cardstock

-Light aqua, turquoise, or baby blue cardstock

-Raspberry pink or dark pink ink – Classic Stampin’ Spot Magenta Madness Ink from Stampin’ Up

-All printed papers used in this project – Harmony 12”x12” Paper from Bo Bunny

-Green mini alphabet stickers – Tiny Type Stickers from Cosmo Cricket

-Floral spray/sprig (from Prima; product does not have a specific name on its packaging)

-Cream/ivory coloured paper (or fabric) flower

-Pale green and grey enamel dots – Classic Enamel Dots from Forever in Time

-Twisted gold coloured trim (the one used here is from the “Crafts” line that is sold at Dollarama)

-3/4^th inch to 1+ inch wide white crochet/lace trim that can be cut in half horizontally and still have each part remain intact

-Dark pink twill ribbon – Vicki B. Wraps from Bo Bunny

-Strong adhesive such as a glue gun or E6000 to adhere the twisted trim in place

-Dimensional foam, pop dots, or similar to elevate some of your layers

-Adhesive, such as a tape runner, of your choice (I often use my Scotch Tape Glider)

NOTE: This project does not require any dies or embossing folders, so it is a great option for those who do not have – or don’t always want to use – a die cutting machine.

How to make an elegant, shabby chic bird and flower themed card

Begin by making an oversized card base from pale peach or pink cardstock using the method described above.

Once it is assembled and ready to work with, cut a piece of royal blue cardstock a little smaller than the overall size of your card front. Adhere to card front.

Cut a piece of light aqua, turquoise, or baby blue paper a whisper smaller than the previous layer. Adhere.

Next, take your twisted trim and working in small segments at a time adhere it in place to create a border right near the edges of the last layer of (blue) cardstock.

Once the adhesive has dried, cut a piece of white crochet style trim/lace and run it across the middle of your card design. Adhere in place.

Top this piece of white trim with a piece of dark pink twill ribbon (or another dark pink ribbon of your choice). Adhere to the white trim layer.

Then, using the same royal blue cardstock as earlier in the project, cut a piece that is a tiny bit smaller than your previous layer, ensuring that it fits snugly within the twisted cord frame that you just created.

Attach this piece of royal blue cardstock to the previous layer using the dimensional adhesive of your choice.

Cut a piece of Bo Bunny “Harmony” paper a little smaller than the latest royal blue cardstock layer. Ink the edges of this piece of paper with raspberry pink or dark pink ink. Adhere overtop of the trim layers.

Important note: If using the same paper that I worked with here, make sure this piece includes the scrolling banner area of the design.

Cut your central bird image out of Bo Bunny paper. Ink its edges with the same raspberry/dark pink ink used above.

Mat this central image with the same pink cardstock as your card base, followed by the same royal blue cardstock used earlier.

Cut a piece of the same white trim used before in half horizontally down the middle. Adhere even-sized pieces to both the left and right-hand sides of the mat stack you just created.

Position this (now) trim-adorned stack at a bit of an angle and adhere it down to your previous layers using dimensional adhesive.

Use tiny green alphabet sticker to spell out your sentiment on the banner portion of the Bo Bunny paper.

Attach a dimensional flower and leaf spray along the left-hand side of the central image, then attach a cream/ivory/light beige hued paper flower immediately below the spray.

Fussy cut two blue flowers and their leaves from the same Bo Bunny “Harmony” paper. Adhere one flower to the top and the other to bottom of the floral cluster area.

Adhere two different sizes of matching pale green and grey enamel dots around the corners of the bird image piece of paper, as shown.

Lastly, create a bow out of the same dark pink twill trim used earlier and adhere it (using a glue gun or other study adhesive) to the middle of the top side of the twisted gold trim layer.

Voila! One splendidly seasonal oversized card that can be used to convey your thanks or, by swapping out the sentiment for another, a wide array of different occasions.

In particular, I think this card would excel for Ostara, Easter, Beltane, Mother’s Day, baby showers, bridal showers, weddings, and birthdays. It would also be very appropriate for a thinking of you/missing you/just because card or even – perhaps forgoing the bow in that instance – as a sympathy card as well.

The birds are chirping, the blooms are blossoming

Little-by-little these glorious telltale signs of spring’s return can be heard and seen all the more with each new day.

It is safe to say that humans have been using the seasons to inspire creative works for countless centuries now.

This is wonderfully alive and well still in the 21^st-century and as crafters (and/or witches/Pagans), we know there are few easier or more enjoyable ways to celebrate a given season than to make a project inspired by it.

Much as with my recent Ostara card, this oversized thank you card taps directly into the spirit (and colour palette) of spring to convey an upbeat, beautiful sense of the season.

Spring is often the shortest-lived season in our area. Therefore, I try all the more to work with elements that express its revitalizing loveliness and ingrained optimism during those few, all too brief weeks before summer’s blazing heat comes barreling back into town.

And I am certainly not alone on that front. It is such a joy, as The Wheel of the Year turns ever onward, to see and be inspired by the seasonal projects created by many of my fellow crafters (be they paper crafters or otherwise).

A lot of folk rank spring as their favourite season. Much as with the fall, I am sure that is part of the reason why there are scores of springtime craft projects created each year as sunshine, warmth, and countless fresh flowers fill our lives again.

If you have not done so lately, I encourage you to let spring inspire some of your creative happenings.

Chances are, if you do just that, you will soon want to give Mother Nature herself an oversized thank you card in appreciation for all of the magnificent inspiration she delivers your way this season.

What is the biggest-sized card you have ever made? Do you find that springtime helps to inspire some of your creative projects as well?

The post Charming Springtime Bloom and Bird Oversized Thank You Card appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

I glanced out the window at the signs of spring. The sky was almost blue, the trees were almost budding, the sun was almost bright. — Millard Kaufman

Some areas of the Northern Hemisphere are already wrapped in the warm embrace of early spring.

Others, including our corner of Western Canada, continue to experience the telltale biting chill and starkly snowy landscape of wintertime proper.

Yet, even if a late-season blizzard comes barreling into town, there are usually captivating stirrings of the season that we are sitting on the precipice of. And that, for those who enjoy spring at least, is certainly a happiness-sparking prospect.

There is not a time in my life when I cannot remember madly adoring butterflies (and moths, too, for that matter – assuming they aren’t turning the contents of my closet into their own personal buffet! ).

It goes without saying that I am far from alone on that front. Countless others throughout the course of human history have been fascinated by butterflies and their immense beauty.

Items depicting or shaped like butterflies never seem to go out of style – and I highly doubt they ever will.

Though, that said, there have certainly been periods when butterfly-themed items experienced a notable spike in popularity.

One such time was the late 1990s and very early 2000, a point in history when I was in my teenage years.

From those super-easy-to-accidentally-bend-open-to-the-point-where-they-break mini butterfly hair clips to butterfly print tees (bonus Y2K points if they were cropped) to the revealing rhinestone covered Emmanuel Ungaro butterfly-shaped top that Mariah Carey famously wore to the VH9’s Divas 2000 tribute to Diana Ross, butterflies were landing everywhere and we could not get enough of them!

These days, with some of the fashions from that era enjoying their own moment in the sartorial spotlight, we are seeing butterflies appear a bit more often again in the clothing and accessory world. Right down to a Gen Z-led revival of those aforementioned butterfly hair clips.

And why not? Fashion was a blast back then. It could be glam and gorgeous, but it could also be silly, fun, girly, sporty, preppy, retro, OTT, sometimes futuristically inspired, and a million other things.

Though I am not slipping on a pair of wide-legged jeans that drag on the ground beneath my chunky (black) platform slip-on sandals, nor rocking a messy bun full of darling butterfly clips atop my head these days, my lifelong passion for butterflies is still going strong.

Butterflies are often one of the first harbingers of spring’s return. Their mosaic-like patterned wings flapping gracefully by our suddenly-once-again-open windows, taking said butterflies to land on the nearest flower, leaf, or other spot they wish to visit.

Recently, I found myself yearning to see real live butterflies again. Alas though, when I looked outside, the only thing fluttering around in the sky was a fresh load of snowflakes.

Knowing that I wanted to make a least one Ostara papercraft project this year, the idea quickly struck me to create one centred around the theme of butterflies.

As a big fan of these beautiful insects, I have numerous craft products that star their depiction. Therefore, I knew this project would not require much rifling around to find the products that I had in mind.

Once I had located them, I made like a busy butterfly and quickly set to work whipping up this vibrant, dynamic springtime greeting card.

Delightful butterfly-themed Ostara shaker card

While not a hard and fast rule by any means, generally speaking, it is somewhat rare for me to craft with the cheery, confectionary-worthy palette of spring – particularly outside of that season itself.

I tend to favour darker tones and autumn + winter palettes, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy dipping my proverbial proboscis in the nectar that is spring’s upbeat hues from time to time.

Having selected the butterfly print papers that I would use on this project, I let them guide the remainder of the colour palette that I utilized here.

It is undeniably a bright, fun one. But it is toned down a touch by some mellow, sun-baked shades as well as hits of both navy blue and black.

I wanted a warm palette that was at once soothing and energizing at the same time, as that is a combo I often associate with spring itself.

This same menagerie of hues could very easily be used for craft projects intended for later in the spring, too, as well as those throughout the summer. Heck, I think it would even suit Mabon/the Fall Equinox as well.

Though there are a fair number of different colours at play on this card, I made sure to repeat some of them two or more times throughout its design so as to help create a cohesive overall look.

For example, there are three different areas of both pink ombre paper and dark gold metallic cardstock, four of light green cardstock, and some of the fussy cut butterflies are repeated as well.

In addition, all of those fussy cut butterflies have a twinkling line of Diamond (coloured) Stickles running down their thoraxes, thus unifying this bevy of winged friends all the more.

My choice of sequins colours echoes some of the shades found in many of the other elements of this card. This in turn helps them to look all the more coordinated.

This card design – for all that is going on here – is actually quite versatile.

For example, you could easily swap out the “Happy Ostara” sentiment for one pertaining to Easter, Beltane, Mother’s Day, Litha, Lammas, Mabon, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, baby showers, christenings, graduations, retirement, bon voyage, good luck, congratulations, and scores of other events and reasons.

And if you are not feeling the palette, keep the general design but sub in a colour scheme of your choosing.

Products used to make this charming springtime butterfly shaker card

-Light green cardstock – Soft Tones 8.5”x11” Cardstock from Paper Accents

-Dark metallic gold cardstock – Foil Cardstock Paper from Recollections (Michael’s brand)

-All printed papers used in this project – Conservatory 12”x12” Paper Pad from Craft Smith (Michael’s brand)

-Clear acetate

-Smaller sized scalloped edge rectangular die

-Oval die – Nestabilities Classic Oval Dies from Spellbinders

-Larger sized scalloped edge rectangular die – Nestabilities Lattice Rectangles from Spellbinders

-Small butterfly cut out rectangle die (from AliExpress)

-Dark blue/navy blue ink – Memento Dew Drop Nautical Blue Ink from Tsukineko

-Iridescent clear glitter glue – Diamond (Glitter Glue) from Stickles

-“Happy” word sticker – Soup Labels Farmhouse Stew (Word) Stickers from Jillibean Soup

-Small black and clear letter stickers – Mambi Sticks Clear Stickers from Me & My Big Ideas

-Green and gold sequins mix – Evergreen Sparkle from Pretty Pink Posh

-Micro-sized gold heart-shaped sequins – Unnamed product from Pretty Pink Posh

-Pin sequins – Princess Sequins from Craft Medley

-White lace trim

-Peachy-pink crochet trim – Stella & Rose Hazel Memories Trim from My Mind’s Eye

-Dimensional foam, pop dots, or similar to elevate some of your layers

-Adhesive, such as a tape runner, of your choice (I often use my Scotch Tape Glider)

How to make a beautiful butterfly themed shaker card for Ostara/The Spring Equinox

Begin by making a card base from light green cardstock (if you do not have light green, white cardstock would look lovely here as well).

Cut a piece of white lace trim the vertical length of the card base. Adhere on the left-hand side of the card base so that this trim extends out beyond the card base itself.

From the Conservatory paper pad, cut a piece of (white background) butterfly print border strip paper. Ink it on all four sides with dark blue or navy blue ink. Mat it with a piece of ever-so-slightly larger (than that strip) pink ombre print paper.

Layer and adhere this matted border piece along the left-hand side of the card, overlapping it somewhat with the white trim layer.

Cut a piece of gold metallic cardstock a little bit smaller than your card base. Cut two equal-sized pieces of peachy-pink crochet trim that are the length of the top and bottom of the gold metallic cardstock. Adhere trim to the underside of the top and bottom of that piece of gold cardstock, then adhere the cardstock to the card base.

Next, cut a piece of pink ombre paper (this paper, like all others used throughout this project, hails from the Craft Smith 12”x12” Conservatory paper pad; this is not a terribly old paper pad, so it may still be available at some Michael’s locations) just a tiny bit smaller than the gold cardstock layer. Adhere to gold cardstock layer.

Cut a piece of dark blue + multicolour butterfly print paper a whisper smaller than the previous layer. Adhere to the previous layer.

Next, cut out the border strip that says, “Happiness Blooms Within”. Mat it with an ever-so-slightly larger (than that strip) piece of the same light green cardstock you used for your card base.

Adhere the border strip to the green cardstock and then, using foam tape, pop dots, or a similar dimensional adhesive product, adhere the green cardstock to the far left-hand edge of the previous (butterfly print paper) layer.

Using the larger of the two scalloped edge rectangular dies, cut a rectangle from the pink ombre print paper. Then use the oval die to cut an oval aperture in the middle of that piece. Back the aperture with a piece of the same light green cardstock that you used for the card base. Adhere this scalloped rectangle piece to your previous layers.

Use the smaller of the two scalloped edge rectangle dies (mine comes with an oval opening in the center already; if yours does not, cut an oval the same size as the one on the previous layer in the center of that rectangular piece) to cut a rectangle from metallic gold cardstock.

Cut a small oval-shaped piece of clear acetate and adhere it to the back of the metallic gold rectangle.

Adhere the gold rectangle (with acetate) to the pink ombre rectangle so that the two ovals are perfectly aligned.

Flip that layered piece over and add in the various colours and shapes of sequins.

Use foam to create a border all the way around the oval shaker element opening. Carefully bring the green cardstock + ombre pink layer to the foam adhesive, gingerly apply some pressure to really stick the foam adhesive in place (as we don’t want any sequin going rouge and escaping our shaker! )

Next, measure and cut a piece of the same white trim that you used earlier so that it is the length of the pink ombre layer. Then cut that piece of trim in half, if so desired (only half of it will be showing, so why not save the other half for use on a different project?). Adhere the white trim to the underside of the bottom of the pink ombre layer.

Follow that up by adhering that rectangle layer “stack” to your previous card base layers.

Cut out a label piece using light green cardstock and the small rectangular-shaped butterfly (cut out) label die. Mat this piece with an ever-so-slightly larger piece of gold metallic cardstock. Adhere together.

Then adhere that “stack” a little bit below the central (rectangular layers), so that some of the dark blue + multicolour butterfly print paper is visible between the two-layered areas, as shown.

Use the “happy’ word sticker and black + clear letter stickers to spell out “Happy Ostara” (or the similar-sized sentiment of your choosing).

Take a piece of butterfly print paper from the Conservatory paper pad and fussy cut out several different sizes and colours of butterflies. Adhere them around the card as shown (or however you wish to place them).

Then cut out duplicates of a few of the butterflies. Apply adhesive down the middle of the backside of those butterflies. Gently bend their wings upward a bit, then adhere them down on their corresponding “flat” butterfly layers.

Lastly, take your iridescent glitter glue (be it Stickles or otherwise) and with a light touch, apply a small line down the thorax (middle vertical area) of each butterfly.

I know that the above instructs are a bit lengthy, but in reality, this project is not (IMO) very tricky and it does not take terribly long to complete. The most time-consuming part, by far, is fussy cutting the butterflies out.

I adore fussy cutting, so do not mind. However, if it isn’t your favourite activity or if using scissors for a long time is difficult for you due to health (or any other) reasons, you could use similar sized premade butterfly die cuts, chipboard pieces, butterfly die cuts that you make yourself, punched butterflies, or stickers here instead.

This festive Ostara/Spring Equinix/Easter card is a pleasure to both make and bestow upon someone special in your life – especially if they are a big fan of butterflies.

Ostara – like springtime sunshine – returns with gusto!

North of the equator, March houses the Spring Equinox. From that day onward until the Summer Solstice we will be surrounded by the beauty, gentle warmth, and the general air of happiness that is inherent to spring.

On – or in the general vicinity of – the Spring Equinox, a fair number of witches/Wiccans/Pagans opt to observe the calendar year’s second sabbat: Ostara.

A lively, hope-filled celebration of the earth’s reawakening, new life, new beginnings, optimism, and much more, Ostara is, for many, a jubilant sabbat that bounds into our life as merrily as a baby lamb.

If you are not familiar with, or would like to read more about, Ostara, I welcome you to do so via the following entries that I have previously penned about this sabbat:

–10 Free and Low-Cost Ways to Celebrate Ostara

–35 Wonderful Ostara Crafts, DIY Projects, and Décor Ideas for The Spring Equinox

–Ostara Candle Spell for Clarity and Renewal (Guest post that I wrote for TheWitchofLupineHollow.com)

While relatively few who are not witches/Pagans observe Ostara in its 21st-century iteration, many individuals – regardless of their spiritual path – enjoy celebrating the return of spring.

The upcoming Equinox is a stellar time to do just that.

A lot of people in my life were born in the spring and numerous loved ones – including my mom and her only sister – rank springtime as their favourite season.

They are far from the minority there, as spring takes top billing for scores of folks around the world.

It is not hard to see why. After months of freezing temps, long hours of darkness, and the need to wear more layers than you’d find on mille crepe cake, many of us are champing at the bit for even the slightest degree of warmth.

Our patience is, thankfully, rewarded sooner or later. And then, after a few sun-kissed days, as if by magic, we often all but forget the lengthy cold spell that we just endured.

Suddenly our lives are illuminated in fresh, wonderful ways again. And while we know that winter will eventually return, for now, we are as far away seasonally from that point as one can possibly be.

And that, if you ask me, is worth celebrating and sending out a butterfly-themed card or two in honour of!

Additional gift of mini butterfly hairclips, 100% optional!

Do you equate butterflies with the return of spring (or autumn, if you live south of the equator)? What is one of your favourite things about the upcoming sunny season?

The post Delightful Butterfly-Themed Happy Ostara Shaker Card for the Spring Equinox appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.

– William Arthur Wad

There are certain key factors that have moved the progress of human evolution along throughout the course of history.

Stone tools, discovering how to turn raw metals into all manner of implements and adornments, the shift from hunter-gather cultures to agrarian ones, and scores of others.

One of those, unquestionably, was humankind’s ability to create and control fire.

As quickly as a warm spark hitting tinder, we forever changed who we were as a species and, perhaps moreover, what we would be able to accomplish going forward when this capability was discovered and utilized.

Evidence from locations such as Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa points to our distant ancestors harnessing the power of fire for their own purposes about one million years ago. Both there and at a handful of other sites around the globe, it thought that the purposeful use of fire may potentially stretch back as far as two million – or more still – years into the past.

There are various theories and schools of thought regarding how and when we stopped viewing fire chiefly as a threat in our environment (i.e., a blazing wildfire headed towards your small communal group’s present living or hunting area) and realized that we could not only use it for such revolutionary concepts as cooking food, but that we could – with a small number of essential components – create it on demand.

The hominoids that are believed to have first intentionally used fire were Homo erectus.

It would be a good many generations and developments on the journey to our present species (Homo sapiens), however, before we branched out from fire on the ground to taming this mighty force all the more and creating ways to generate light (and by extension a measure of warmth) in smaller, arguably more controlled, iterations.

It is likely that relatively soon after our ancestors discovered and began to make fires, they created and used torches not only to start new fires or rekindle those that were waning but to light their way through the dark.

Conceivably, creating torches or similar means of transporting fire (for example, by “collecting” a flame on a piece of wood, dried planet matter, etc from a small bushfire) may actually have led to the creation of things like fires on the ground that could be used to help keep wild animals at bay, roast a meal, or warm chilled bodies that were never far away from the elements.

It is almost impossible to adequately stress just what a profound turning point in our species’ history taming fire and putting it to work on our behalf was. Had that not happened, it is exceedingly likely we would not be even a fraction as advanced on countless fronts as we were today.

Fire not only blazed a path forward for our forebearers, it quite literally lit our way straight on until the development of artificial light sources such as gas and electric lighting.

In the interim, we came up with concepts such as lighting various oils as a means to create small, contained fires that could be used more flexibly than stationary fires.

We put flame to reeds and rushes, sometimes combining materials such as these with sources of fat from animals, seeds, and plants (including creating a product called rushlights that were used for many thousands of years in various parts of the world).

In many respects, rushlights and their kin were the precursors to candles. Though the two were often used concurrently in various locations throughout history.

We are unlikely to ever know who made the first product that we would today readily call a candle.

Historians debate when candles blazed their way onto the scene, but we know that cultures such as the ancient Egyptians were using rushlights and oil lamps at least 5,000 years ago.

Meanwhile, a touch later on in human history, the industrious Romans are often credited with being the first to create candles with wicks.

They did so by repeatedly dunking or dipping materials such as papyrus into heated and melted beeswax or tallow.

It is important to keep in mind that numerous other cultures – from China to India to some of the indigenous peoples of North America – also developed candles or products similar to candles as well. (In China, for example, rice paper was a key comment in their early candle-making process.)

From the distant days of those cultures and numerous others onward, many societies around the world have continued to utilize candles.

Even today, when a sizable percentage of the world has at least one form of artificial lighting in their home, a good many of us still adore, buy and/or make, and use candles for myriad different purposes.

The Pagan sabbat of Imbolc will soon be upon us again.

While it is safe to say that candles are a mainstay for many who observe the sabbats all throughout the year, perhaps no other sabbat is, in the Western Hemisphere, more associated with candles than Imbolc.

Yule, its immediate predecessor is another heavily candle-focused sabbat, as is Samhain at the end of October. Again though, it is Imbolc that is perhaps most closely linked to candles.

As I talked about in my recent Elegant Winter Meets Spring Colour Palette Imbolc Card post, though Imbolc may transpire when winter is still going strong in many locations, it is a celebration of renewal, rebirth, light, warmth, and the journey to spring’s majestic return.

Even many of the colours – white, cream, ivory, yellow, orange, and gold – linked to Imbolc relate back to the traditional colours of candles and of flames the world over.

At the beginning of February, those who observe Imbolc often chose to focus on the importance of light and warmth in our world.

We may live in homes that are heated by things such as electricity, coal, gas, and wood, but we are not so far removed from nature that we cannot appreciate the profound importance of light and warmth in the ever-turning Wheel of The Year.

In this post, beyond the brief overview of the role of fire in the development of our species, we are going to take a peek at what candle magick is and then delve into an extensive list of books on the subject of candle magick.

What is candle magick?

Humans have involved candles, rushlights and the like in religious and spiritual contexts for thousands of years.

Whether to light temples or churches, to burn offerings to deities, in ritual ceremonies or for various other reasons, something called to our ancestors to hold the power of a flame in great reverence and to combine that with the respect (and sense of awe) they often held for the gods, goddesses, or source of Spirit that they believed in.

Much as we do not know with exact certainty when the first candle was invented, it is as good as impossible to speculate when candle magick burst on the scene.

That said, it too almost certainly dates back for thousands of years.

As with many components of witchcraft, today’s candle magick may share points in common with that of earlier humans, but we cannot make any solid claims that the two were unwavering the same by any means.

Candle magick is one of the most commonly employed, best-loved, and easy to utilize forms of magick.

So much so, in fact, that candle magick has frequently been the first type of purposely undertaken magick utilized by many who are new to areas such as Wicca and Witchcraft.

Candle magick is inviting. It can also be peaceful, zen-like even at times – as can be the act of burning candles in general (aka, both inside and out of a magickal capacity).

Candles are an extraordinary representation of the Elements, as each is present in a candle’s form and function.

Fire, the most obvious of the Elements involved with candles, is there in the initial spark, the burning flame, and both the heat and light generated by candles.

As well, fire is one of the most powerful representations – and in some instances, literal forms of – transformation. This in turn is often the catalyst for important changes, personal growth, achieving our goals, and many other positives that we are well served by throughout the course of our lives.

Air, that most ethereal of Elements, enters the picture via the oxygen that is needed to both keep the candle lit and, if blowing it out, to extinguish it when the time comes to do so.

Earth, stable, ancient, malleable presents itself via the wax – as well as the wick (particularly if it is made from a natural material).

Lastly, while the Element of water might not be the first that one associates with candles, it too joins the team and is represented by the melting wax (a solid rendered in liquid form by the addition of heat) as well as utilized, in some instances, to put out a candle’s flame.

In addition, I personally feel that Spirit / the divine is present in candles as well. It is there in the history of this important source of light and warmth. In the connection to deities and Source that countless cultures and belief systems have long associated with candles (and fire in general), and in that enchanting element of mystery and magick inherent to candles the world over.

At its core, candle magick really just requires one or more candles, a heat source to light them with, and a specific intention or desired outcome that you wish to have come to fruition.

Beyond that, one can utilize candles for endless purposes when working magick.

They can be anointed with oils and/or herbs and/or spices (cinnamon, for example, is a much loved warm or “fiery” spice on this front), combined with small crystals (chips, tiny stones, etc), woven into colour magick, utilized as offerings, situated on one’s altar or other sacred space, used to represent fire as a whole, placed in windows to light the way for ancestral spirits, the fae, and many others, as well as being a common component on sabbat tables – including during dumb/silent suppers.

Some who employ candles in their magickal workings believe that candles used in such a context should be snuffed or doused out (with water) instead of extinguished with one’s breath. The logic behind this is that you may risk blowing away the intentions and/or energy of the spell that you have just undertaken.

I feel it is up to each practitioner of candle magick to determine if they sense this holds true for them personally or if they are okay with blowing out spellwork candles.

Candle magick also has the wonderful benefit of being a form of witchery that can be done quite discreetly. This may be particularly important to those who reside in environments where they want, or need, to keep their craft private.

After all, countless millions of people – a sizeable percentage of whom are not witches or Wiccans – the world over enjoy burning candles for a wide array of reasons, so this act is not overly likely to arouse suspicion in many types of settings.

In addition, one can involve candles as part of their meditation practise or for fire divination (for example, carromancy, which is divination involving melted wax), and you can even use a candle’s flame as a method of scrying.

I have a theory that part of the reason why we as a species have not parted ways with the use of candles even in the (glowing) face of artificial light sources is that there is something inherent to us as species that enjoys – and perhaps even needs – to retain the ability to create and safely keep fire in our homes.

Witches, Wiccans and others of our ilk are no different on that front and it is not the least bit surprising to me that candle magick is one of the most popular types of magick in the 21^st century.

Other components contribute to its widespread use as well. For example, many of us grew up in environments where candles were routinely utilized – be it decoratively, functionally or both.

We may associate candles with special occasions and settings. For example, the candles on a birthday cake, the small votives or tealights we ignite and place inside carved jack-o-lanterns, or elegant taper candles set out for a romantic dinner.

Candles are readily available in many parts of the world and while some high-end luxury brands cost well into the three figures apiece, many others can be had for less than the cost of a Starbucks coffee (and everywhere in between those two points).

As well, candles have a perpetual sense of mystery to them.

Even though in the modern era we understand the science behind how candles and fire in general work, they still continue to have an air of the unknown and of things both of and beyond this realm.

Indeed, in some respects, candles are liminal entities. The small space separating the flame and wax is an in-between realm that works as a conduit between the magickal worker’s intentions and the solidity of that desire (hopefully!) manifesting into being.

Naturally, candles are adored by countless individuals across the world. And while they are by no means the sole domain of witches, Wiccans, and Pagans, those of us who identify as such do often have quite the propensity for candles.

And, by extension for candle magick and candle spellwork.

In addition to the ways mentioned above to take candles beyond their basic state, one can also carve signs, symbols, words, numbers, and signals into the wax of candles before setting them alight.

Candles can be used (employing the utmost of fire safety at all times) to concentrate, cleanse, and symbolically burn away or banish unwanted elements from one’s world.

So long as safety, speaking of such, is employed (including keeping lit candles away from flammable materials, kids, and pets if there is even a minute chance that injury and/or the uncontained spread of fire could occur), there is pretty much no right or wrong way to work candle magick.

You can purchase small candles that are often called chime candles or spell candles in a multitude of different colours, use the largest pillar candle your town has for sale, create your own candles, source local beeswax offerings from artisans in your area, pick up a wide array of candles from dollar stores, shop for endless varieties (and scents!) of candles online, receive candles as gifts, and more.

As well, there is no shortage of candles on the market today that are specifically sold as “spell candles”. Premade creations that have been crafted with the intent of using them for a specific kind of spell or other type of magickal working. For example, love spell candles, money spell candles, good mojo spell candles, sea magick candles, and many others.

There are also zodiac sign-specific candles on the market, too, such as those from the immensely popular Etsy shop, The Madam Phoenix. Just as there are candles pertaining to things such as the sabbats, moon phases and esbats, different planets, ancestor work, chakras, handfastings, and various other witch/Pagan-centered purposes.

Much as with other types of candles geared towards witchy folks, places such as Etsy, metaphysical shops, Instagram and TikTok sellers, and in-person public witch/Paganism centred gatherings can be great places to find spell specific candles.

While some types of candles are, objectively, better suited to certain kinds (and durations) of spells, by and large, there are no set-in-stone rules. It is often the intention brought to, and energy created/strengthened during a magickal/spiritual working, that matters more than the colour, size, scent, etc of a given candle.

Indeed, many witches and Wiccans keep a healthy stock of neutral coloured candles (such as white or cream) on hand to use both in situations when they are specifically desired and for those when one might not have a certain colour or type of candle to hand.

White and cream colours are viewed by many as being universally acceptable for nearly all types of candle magick.

Beyond that, those wishing to engage in candle magick may want to pick up an array of different colours, including – but not limited to – pink, red, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, black, silver, and gold candles.

Multicolour candles can be great too, especially if all of the colours they house correspond to the magickal working and desired outcome of one’s candle magick spell.

Many creative souls sell handmade candles, including plenty aimed at witches, Wiccans, and Pagans. Sites such as Etsy, various online and real-world metaphysical stores, and some craft fairs can all be excellent places to source candles that have been created with magickal folks squarely in mind.

Most, understandably, cost more than your average dollar store, big box, grocery store, or chime candle. The candlemaker needs to not only cover the cost of the materials involved and their time/labour, but to make a reasonable profit in the process.

Whether mass-produced or handmade, many people prefer to use plant-based and soy-based candles. These types of candles are sometimes more environmentally friendly (and potentially – though not always – contain less undesirable chemicals such as parabens and phthalates) than certain other types of wax such as paraffin.

Beeswax is another naturally sourced material that is popular for spellwork and witchy candle-related purposes in general.

Understandably, those who are vegans or otherwise prefer not to use candles made from animal-derived sources will want to forgo genuine beeswax candles.

Ultimately, you do not want to break the bank when buying candles. It can be lovely to splurge on candles made from high-quality ingredients, but at the end of the day, a plain white $1.00 votive candle can work every bit as effectively in a witchy context as a scented $50.00 wood wick soy candle.

And on that note, if you are sensitive to scented candles, opt for unscented ones or those that you have not experienced negative reactions to in the past.

By the same token, if you are sensitive to the burning of even unscented wax, LED candles can be used in some instances in lieu of wax candles.

Naturally, however, LED candles do have their limits in terms of candle magick. For example, they do not (or at least, they should not!) generate enough heat to burn anything involved with a given spell such as bay leaves or small pieces of paper.

On the plus side, they carry much less risk of fire, often have batteries that long outlast the burn time of a wax-based candle, and do not generate any smoke or discernible heat.

Another point in favour of candle magick is that it can be undertaken quite quickly in many cases and in turn, the outcome of one’s magickal working may make itself known fairly speedily as well.

Not always, of course, but certainly at times – especially if the spell pertained to something quite immediate.

Before beginning a candle working, it is generally a good idea to cleanse both the space that the working is being carried in out as well as the candle itself.

If you made the candle from scratch, the latter may be unnecessary, as far fewer hands – and in turn, other peoples’ energy, will – have come in contact with that candle. Though you can do so all the same either way. There is rarely such a thing as over-cleansing when it comes to magickal workings.

Given the widespread availability of candles, the fact that plenty are available for very reasonable prices, and the love that witchy folks tend to have for things with a sense of mystery to them, it is no surprise that candle spells rank amongst the most popular types of magick practiced in today’s world.

In turn, it should not shock many folks to learn that a decent number of books about candle magick have been penned over the years.

Most of these books delve into the spiritual significance of candles, ways to involve them in your magickal workings, and provide various candle magick spell recipes for readers to either follow to the letter or use as a jumping-off point for their own take on a certain spell.

In the spirit of Imbolc (and its Southern Hemisphere partner, Lammas) – when candles are lit to symbolically represent the sun and its radiant light – let’s take a gander at a considerable number of the books that have been written to date on candle magick.

Naturally, as with most lists of books, I am not claiming that the following selection includes every title on candle magick ever created (be it in English or any other language). And, of course, it stands to reason that more will hit the shelves in the future.

Candle magick is such a beloved and frequently used element of many witches’ and Wiccans’ practices that it is highly unlikely interest in this type of magick is going to be snuffed out anytime soon. (Pun intended. )

Candle Magick Books

Like a lot of us who came to witchery in the latter decades of the 20th century or start of the 21st, I cut my teeth in regards to candle magick largely based on personal experience, nuggets of how-to wisdom gleaned from various books on witchery and Wicca, and in the earliest years of the 2000s, Raymond Buckland’s now-classic offerings on the topic.

Other early entries in the field included D.J. Conway’s “A Little Book of Candle Magic” and Phillip Cooper’s “Candle Magic: A Coveted Collection of Spells, Rituals, and Magical Paradigms“. Both of which remain wonderfully informative and solidly useful decades after they were first released.

The sphere of books about candle magick and candle spells has grown considerably since I was budding witchingly. Today, those looking to learn the fundamentals or explore more about the topic now have a fantastic selection ready and waiting to meet that need.

Below you will find a roundup of a good many books on candle magick and candle spells. Most are still in production, but the small handful of them that are not can often be found for sale secondhand on sites such as Amazon, Thrift Books, and Better World Books.

Advanced Candle Magick: More Spells and Rituals for Every Purpose

A Little Book of Candle Magic

Candle Burning Magic

Candle & Fire Magic: a Practical Guide Book to Rituals, Spells and Divinations

Candle Magic: A Coveted Collection of Spells, Rituals, and Magical Paradigms

Candle Magic for Beginners: A Complete Guide to Discover the Secrets of Candle Spells and Rituals to Attract Healing, Abundance and Love in Your Life

Candle Magic for Beginners: Spells for Prosperity, Love, Abundance, and More

Candle Magic for Beginners: The Simplest Magic You Can Do

Candle Magic for Beginners: Tips, Tricks, and Candle Spell Secrets for Love, Prosperity, and Abundance in Life 

Candle Magic the Basics: Transform and Manifest Your Life by Utilizing the Power of Fire

Candle Magic: Working with Wax, Wick, and Flame

Exploring Candle Magick: Candles, Spells, Charms, Rituals and Devinations

Fire Magic

Lighting the Wick: An Intuitive Guide to the Ancient Art and Modern Magic of Candles

Magical Candle Crafting: Create Your Own Candles for Spells & Rituals

Mastering Candle Magick

Pagan Portals – Candle Magic: A Witch’s Guide to Spells and Rituals

Practical Candleburning Rituals

The Big Book of Candle Magic

The Big Little Book of Magick: A Wiccan’s Guide to Altars, Candles, Pendulums, and Healing Spells

The Book of Candle Magic

The Book of Practical Candle Magic

The Candle Magic Spell Book: A Beginner’s Guide to Spells to Improve Your Life 

The Candle Magick Workbook

The Enchanted Candle

The Witch’s Book of Candle Magic: A Handbook of Candle Spells, Divination, Rituals and Charms

Wicca Candle Magic

Wicca Candle Magick

Do you know of any other candle magic/magick books that are not listed here? If you do, please feel free to share them in the comments below and I will update this post to include your suggestions.

By the same token, I will keep my eyes open for future candle magick and candle spellwork books and aim to add those that I encounter to this list as well.

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine

(The fact that this line comes from a gospel song called This Little Light of Mine is not lost on me. I believe that one can enjoy and appreciate music of all kinds, regardless of their spiritual path and though an ardent witch, I have long enjoyed this beautiful Christians tune.)

Candle magick is a welcoming, versatile, effective, and often enjoyable form of witchery.

It does not have to give your wallet a workout, can be done (weather and setting permitted) both indoors and outdoors, taps into humankind’s long-standing utilization of fire for a wide range of purposes, has a great deal of versatility to it, and can be a very welcoming way for those who are new to spellwork to cut their teeth, so to speak, in this area.

Though it is, of course, not necessary for witches and Wiccans to undertake candle magick or to otherwise use candles in any capacity, a good many of us delight in doing so.

We could scarcely imagine our practice without at least a few basic candles at the ready. Just waiting for their moment to quite literally shine in a magickal context and to, in the process, keep the age-old act of utilizing fire in spellwork and/or spirituality shining brightly.

This Imbolc, why not treat yourself to a new candle, book on candle magick, or the materials required to make your own candles?

Or, simply take some time to gaze at a lit candle and reflect deeply on what the remainder of winter + spring’s upcoming return mean to you, your life, and your own beautiful spiritual path.

May you each have a glowingly warm and wonderful, Imbolc, dear friends!

Is Imbolc the sabbat that you most associate with candles? Do you involve candle magick in your practice or otherwise use candles in a spiritual context?

The post The Big List of Books About Candle Magick + What is Candle Magick? appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Yet, in many corners of the world, it began, two, three, or perhaps even as many as four months ago (I have, for example, experienced snow in September while living in certain parts of Canada) and that can mean that we are already more than a little eager for spring to return.

Alas, save for those lucky folks in some particularly warm and/or mild climates, we need to exert saint-worthy patience for a bit longer.

However, as entrenched into the bone-chilling heart of winter as many of us are, subtle signs of spring’s impending return are – or will soon be – perceptible again.

Not trees in bloom, perfectly tender asparagus and delectably sweet little strawberries perceptible, but the forebearers to those kinds of seasonal changes and many others that will greet us as winter takes its bow and exits stage left.  

In the 2 years and a couple of weeks that Witchcrafted Life has been online, I have penned 1 – 3 dedicated posts a piece so far for each of the Pagan sabbats. Such posts have focused on things such as the history, traditions, associations, correspondences, colours, foods, herbs, plants, animals, crystals and so forth of each of these sacred days.

You can bet your favourite winter scarf that I won’t stop writing those kinds of posts anytime soon.

However, as one of the guiding inspirations for this blog’s creation was to not “merely” share some posts that focused on paper crafting and others on Paganism/witchery, but to combine the two on various occasions, that is what I am planning to do more of throughout this year (and beyond!).

There have, of course, already been a handful of posts that combined both.

However, starting this month, I am on a mission to create and blog about at least one craft (be it paper or otherwise) project for each of the year’s Pagan sabbats throughout 2022/2023.

Ideally, continuing to do so on a fairly regular basis beyond then as well.

The first sabbat to transpire after the New Year, Imbolc (aka, Imbolg), is rapidly approaching again and as such I decided there was no better time to get the ball rolling on my roster of sabbat-focused projects than with an Imbolc themed creation.

Elegant winter meets spring colour palette Imbolc card

Much as with the seasons themselves, there are certain colours that are broadly associated with each sabbat.

Those which are – in the Northern Hemisphere – often ascribed to Imbolc include colours that echo both winter’s chill and the inaugural glimmers of spring’s upcoming return.

Fire, light, and sunshine are integral components of many an Imbolc celebration. This often leads to colours such as white, yellow, bronze, gold, and red being connected with Imbolc.

Others with strong ties to Imbolc include (but are not limited to) cream, pale pink, green, light blue, brown, grey, and silver.

As I envisioned the card at the heart of this post, I knew that I wanted to utilize a colour palette that tapped into both the dark heart of winter and the jovial, far more lighthearted (as a general rule) nature of springtime.

Imbolc is often viewed as being the first spring sabbat, even though it is housed at the start of February.

As with many sabbats, solstices and equinoxes, this perception stems in no small part from the days when our ancestors lived in tremendously close proximity with nature and the perpetual ebbing and flowing of the seasons.

Whether for hunting, planting crops, being able to dig into the soil to set posts or lay bricks for new homes or myriad other happenings, the seasons dictated and shaped a great deal of how civilization has unfolded.

Early February does not usually have the warmth or greenery of Ostara or Beltane, but it is far enough away from the Winter Solstice to afford it the title of spring’s unofficial start.

Or, if you personally feel that it is simply too deeply buried in wintertime proper still, then Imbolc serves as a midway wintertime sabbat celebration that embraces elements of the present season and the one that lies ahead in near equal measure.

The colours used on this card tap into both winter (black, grey, and white) and early spring (grey, white, and green).

Much like Imbolc itself, they serve as a reminder that it will not be too much longer until the world rouses from its wintertime slumber and slips into its springtime finery once again.

In addition to the colours themselves, this card represents the seasonal duality of Imbolc by the presence of both snowflakes and greenery (the bloom bedecked branches/vines).

Given that the snow in our backyard is still up to my knees and may very well rise higher again before winter officially throws in the towel, this chilly season component is one that I – like many of us – associate closely with Imbolc.

Yet even as I light a flock of twinkling candles, invoking both literal and metaphorical warmth and light back into the world once again, I am already daydreaming about the lush foliage and life-affirming properties of spring. These too are honoured come the year’s first sabbat.

I find the colours at play on this card to be very soothing and peaceful. They are not as bleak as the harshest days of winter, yet nor are they as vibrant and breezy as those of, say, late spring or early summer.

Much like Imbolc itself, they are comforting and ancient, a marriage of two seasons that is, in fact, the precursor to the death of one and the rebirth of another.

Products used to make a festive black, grey, green, and white Imbolc card

-White or off-white (which is what I used) subtly textured or smooth cardstock

-Sage/light green cardstock – Soft Tones Cardstock from Paper Accents

-Dark (pine/forest/hunter) green cardstock

-Grey cardstock

-Black cardstock

-Green metallic cardstock – Foil Cardstock Paper from Recollections (Michael’s brand)

-Grey plaid paper – Christmas Festive Ornaments Paper from Carta Bella

-Pine tree print border strip of paper – Christmas Border Strips Paper from Carta Bella

-Fir/pine bough patterned paper (used in the center of this card) – Christmas 4”x4” Journaling Cards from Carta Bella

-Ornate circle die

-Snowflake border die (or a similar snowflake border punch)

-Two-part snowflake die (a single layer/part snowflake works just as well here, too)

-“Blessings” word die (or letter dies, stamps, stickers, wood veneer pieces, or rub that can spell out the same word)

-Small vine/branch with flowers die

-Fir/pine branch die – Fall Foliage Dies from Spellbinders

-Off-white and grey flat back adhesive pearls – Opaline Designer Half Pearls from Basic Grey

-Black and green enamel dots – Green Fields Enamel Dots from Alte & New

-Dark green ink – Memento Dew Drop Northern Pines Ink from Tsukineko

-Black and white tiny letter stickers (product not named but from the Stickah brand sold at Dollarama)

-White or off-white embroidery thread (very thin crochet thread could also be used here)

-Dimensional foam, pop dots, or similar to elevate some of your layers

-Adhesive, such as a tape runner, of your choice (I often use my Scotch Tape Glider)

How to make an elegant winter meets spring Imbolc card

Start by making a card base from either white or off-white cardstock.

Cut a piece of green metallic cardstock slightly smaller than the card base. Adhere.

Cut a piece of black cardstock slightly smaller than the green metallic cardstock layer. Adhere.

Next, cut a piece of the grey plaid Carta Bella paper so that it is slightly smaller than the width and about 60% off the height of the previous layer. Attach it to the top portion of the black cardstock layer, as shown.

Cut a piece of sage/light green cardstock so that it is slightly smaller than the width and about 40% of the height of the black cardstock layer. Attach it to the bottom portion of said black cardstock layer.

Die cut (or punch out) a border strip with three good-sized snowflakes from black cardstock. Use white or off-white embroidery floss to stitch through the edges of this piece (alternatively, you can use an opaque white pen or marker to hand draw stitching instead).

Adhere in the center bottom of the sage/light green cardstock layer. Top the center snowflake with an off-white and grey pearl embellishment.

From the Carta Bella Christmas Border Strips Paper cut out a pine tree border strip and adhere it roughly 2/3^rd to 3/4^th of the way down the center of the card layers that you have constructed so far.

Using both sage/light green and white/off-white cardstock, die cut two nesting snowflake shapes. Place the smaller white or off-white piece inside of the larger green snowflake piece. Adhere to the sides in the top 1/3^rd of the center panel of the card, as shown.

Top the center of each white inner snowflake with an off-white and grey pearl embellishment.

Use the Spellbinders fir/pine bough die to cut two branches from each the sage/light green, dark green, and metallic green cardstocks.

Starting from the darkest to the lightest colour, arrange these bough pieces around the edges of the center of the card, allowing them to overlap a bit with the snowflakes and the pine tree border strip. Adhere.

Die cut two flowering branch/vine pieces from black cardstock and another two from grey cardstock. Top the black pieces with the grey ones, off-setting them a little so for an added sense of dimension. Adhere both pairs together and then atop the center of the fir/pine bough area that you just created.

Using the Alte & New enamel dots, adhere green and black dots on the flower portions of the flower branches/vines, as shown in the photos throughout this post.

From green metallic cardstock, die cut an ornate circle shape. Using pop dots, foam squares, or another dimensional adhesive, adhere this circle to the center of the card front.

Cut out the winter foliage (with a dark grey background) piece from the Carta Bella 4”x4” Journaling Card paper, then this piece into a circle shape. Adhere it to the green metallic layer from the previous step.

Next, use the small white and black letter stickers to spell the word “Imbolc”, alternating between light and dark green cardstock, adhere and then fussy cut out each sticker so that it has a very thin border around it from either of those two cardstocks.  

Repeat the cardstock process again, this time alternating colours so that if the letters were first backed with light green paper, their second border (backing) layer is dark green and vice versa.

Arrange the letters in a playful slightly uneven (from one another) manner in the top portion of fussy cut circle created in the previous step.

Use the “Blessings” word die to die cut three identical words, one each from sage/light green, dark green, and white/off-white cardstock.

Arrange these layers starting with the sage/light green, then the dark green, followed by the white/off-white so that all three layers are slightly off-centre from one another for an added sense of depth.

Adhere the layers together and then beneath the “Imbolc” letter stickers.

Use three sizes of matching coloured off-white or white adhesive pearls to create a frame/border around the top and bottom portions of the fussy cut green paper piece, as shown.

For the final step, use three sizes of black Alte & New enamel dots to adorn the top corners of the grey plaid paper layer and three sizes of green Alte & New enamel dots to adorn the bottom corners of the sage/light green cardstock layer.

And just like that, you have a sophisticated, wonderfully seasonally appropriate handmade Imbolc card to send off or present in person to someone special.

Alternatively, if you use a different sentiment this same design can be used for various other wintertime (or summertime if you are south of the equator) events as well. For example, Yule, Christmas, New Year’s, winter birthdays and anniversaries, just because and thinking of you cards, and even as a very heartfelt sympathy card.

One foot in winter, the other stepping towards spring

As with each of the Pagan sabbats, those who choose to observe them have free range over when they opt to do so. Nothing on that front is written in indelible ink and those of both Pagan/Wiccan/witchy leanings and otherwise that make the sabbats a part of their lives can do so whenever they desire.

That said, a good many of us opt to do so on either February 1^st or February 2^nd.

As a general rule, I lean towards February 1^st. As with each of the year’s eight beautiful sabbats, however, aim to encapsulate the sacred day itself with at least a few more days on either side. Thus, instead of “just” one day, Imbolc and each of its other sabbat siblings become mini seasons of celebration unto themselves.

I adore Imbolc and while that is, objectively, true for each of the eight sabbats that comprise The Wheel of The Year, there are some that I feel all the more pulled towards.

Imbolc, situated as it is as the counterpoint to Lammas six months later (on this side of the equator), is a cozy, soulful period that invites us to reflect on where we have come not only since January 1^st of the present year, but since this point last winter.

As well, it taps into the return of new life + gentler weather that will soon pop back up much like a crocus exuberantly bursting through a mantle of snow to soak in the year’s first warm rays of sunshine.

I do not hate winter (far from it!) and can scarcely imagine living somewhere that did not experience a frozen segment of the year.

Winter – much like fall – stokes the fires of my creativity, my energy, my productivity and much more in ways that spring and summer are not always able to do to same degree.

Many is the year that I have felt a splash of melancholy as winter breathed its last. However, those post-winter blues are rarely long-lived as the endearing vitality and breathtaking colour palette (to say nothing of the scents, tastes, and sounds) of spring dance merrily across the landscape once again.

Right here and now though, in our wee corner of Western Canada, the mercury sits below freezing, many local bodies of water have ice on them that is thick enough to safely skate or fish on, and there’s plenty more snow forecasted in the coming weeks.

Come February 1^st and in the days that buffer it on either side, I will embrace winter while it is still here. And at the same time, I’ll steer the rutter of both my witchy workings and life as a whole towards springtime.

Each season and sabbat is a gift, and Imbolc – with its emphasis on fresh starts, new life, and finding light in even the darkest times (aka, the middle of winter) – is no exception.

Just as the wording on this handmade greeting card states, with all of my heart, I wish you each a blessed and truly beautiful Imbolc. May it, in due time, unfold into a low-stress, high enjoyment spring for all of us!

Whether you observe Imbolc or not, what do you view as the unofficial start of spring? Which colours do you most associate with this point in the year?

The post Elegant Winter Meets Spring Colour Palette Imbolc Card appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire. It is time for home. – Edith Sitwell

November was but a handful of days old when the season’s first snowflakes fluttered like icy-winged butterflies to the ground.

A brief flurry, another a few days later, and then proper volumes of snow by the month’s third week.

Fall did not go gently into that good night entirely though. At least not at first.

For a brief, enchanting time there were leaves the colour of ancient clay vessels and faded Tudor tapestries alongside slender plumes of smoke rising ghost-like from neighbourhood chimneys against the unmistakable chorus of shovels being pushed with no small amount of force across snow-laden driveways.

It is said that all good things must come to an end and autumn is no exception.

Tomorrow brings with it the Winter Solstice. The shortest day, in terms of the percentage of daylight, that the entire year houses.

For myself and others – particularly witches, Wiccans, and Pagans – it is also at the heart of the Yule season.

This long night ushers in the light-filled half of the year. Though, as I am quick to note, we rarely start to see and experience a tangible sense of that for several more weeks from now.

Nevertheless, the Winter Solstice and Yule remind us of the sunlight, warmth, and seasonal joys that await us come spring and summer.

Winter, however, is not without its own bevy of charms and blessings.

While a harsh chapter in many parts of the world, the coming season of icicles and parkas is anything but dull, uninspiring, or lacking in things to do and enjoy from the very first to the absolute last moment.

Before, with sweater-clad arms, we welcome winter back into our lives again (here in the Western Hemisphere; summer is out in full force for those south of the equator), let’s take a lovely moment to reflect back on the season that is, rather aptly, presently giving up the ghost.

The Fall 2021 Edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me is a link love post featuring online content that caught my eye during the past three months, coupled with a peek into what has been transpiring in my own life lately.

I hope that you will enjoy reading it every bit as much as I took pleasure putting it together for you, sweet friends.

Magick, Witchcraft, Paganism, and Spirituality

–Create an Easy DIY Advent Calendar with Crystals Inside: While it is rather late in December to start an advent this year, this creative take on a treasured holiday season favourite was too cool looking not to share.

Whether you work with crystals in a spiritual/metaphysical context or enjoy them for other reasons, chances are you are bound to delight in this awesome advent calendar that sees each date house a tiny crystal.

This advent would make for such a fantastic and meaningful Yule gift.

And there’s nothing stopping you from using advents to count down to other special events (such as Halloween or a person’s birthday) as well, if you wanted to give making this crystal-filled calendar a go before next December arrives.

–How to Make Heat Activated Spell Sachets: Creating spell sachets is something that is familiar to many witches and Wiccans. However, generally speaking, we work with them at either room temperature or whatever the mercury is up to outdoors.

Leave it to none other than beloved Pagan blogger, Moody Moons, to take this classic spellworking technique and give it a fresh new spin via the introduction of heat.

I am smitten with this concept and plan to weave it into some of my witchy workings this winter and likely for many a chilly season to come.

–Sacred Sprays for Magickal Self-Care: As someone who adores making many of my own magickal tools and ingredients, and who is a keen proponent of self-care, I knew the moment I saw this terrific how-to post from Katrina Rasbold on Llewellyn’s blog that I would be sharing it here.

One need not be a witch/Pagan to make and use their own beneficial sprays – nor, of course, to practice self-care. That is something, ideally, we should all strive to make a perpetual priority in our lives.

–25 Forms of Banishing: No matter the season, I am a big proponent of doing banishing work. In fact, I would say it is one of the most common forms of witchery that I undertake.

Few points in the year lend themselves quite as naturally, however, to banishing work and getting rid of elements in our lives that are no longer serving us well than that liminal period between late December and early January.

This fantastic list from Sidney Eileen rounds up an impressive 25 different ways to engage in banishing work, including banishing via manifesting, involving banishing in your shadow work, and conducting energetic self-maintenance.

–Witches Bells: Their History, Lore and How to Use Them: From Otherworldly Oracle, comes this great look at the past and present of a magickal tool and/or piece home décor that is familiar and adored by plenty of folks around the world: Witches Bells.

During the December holiday season, when bells are easily had at many craft, hobby, dollar, housewares, gift, and big box stores, now can be an excellent time to make your own set of witches bells or to create some for the fellow witchy souls in your life.

(From the same website and very much in keeping with the current festive season, this delightful look at Yule Recipes: 13 Traditional & Modern Winter Solstice Meals & Beverages is also well worth checking out.)

–Work With the Plant Allies in Your Neighborhood: Discovering, learning about, and forming a meaningful, ongoing relationship with all manner of plants, flowers, and trees in your immediate environment can be an immensely beneficial activity.

If you are looking for more information on how to connect with your local plant allies, then this lovely post from Astrea at the Pathos blog Starlight Witch is a good place to start (or way to further your existing knowledge on the subject).

–Your Magickal Name:  It does not surprise me one iota that a great overview look at the subject of magickal names comes from none other than esteemed Pagan author and blogger, Rachel Patterson (whose stellar book, Witchcraft Into the Wilds, I reviewed here last year).

As someone who uses their magickal name (or as I tend to refer to it, my Pagan name) not only virtually exclusively online at this point in my life, but in as many offline capacities as I possibly can too, it is safe to say that I’m big on magickal names and really appreciate that Rachel penned this handy guide on the subject.

Cardmaking, Scrapbooking, Paper Crafting, and Other Crafts

–DIY Fridge Magnets: 50 Projects for Home or Gifts: For a good stretch of my childhood, my mom collected fridge magnets. When the volume she had amassed exceeded the space available on our refrigerator, she started displaying them on metal baking trays.

Many years have now passed since then. Yet, as my mom’s own passion back in those days for magnets rubbed off on me when I was growing up, I couldn’t help but lap up each inspiring idea in this awesome selection of DIY fridge magnets.

If you are also stuck on magnets (pun intended ) or know someone who is, you will definitely want to give this inspiration-filled post a thorough readthrough.  

–DIY Lava Lamp Party Favours: There are no molten hot liquids involved with this super cute mid-century inspired craft project.

Instead, two sizes of barware glasses and a few basic craft supplies – plus the “lava” filing of your choice are all you need to whip up some highly memorable yesteryear inspired party favours that your guests are bound to adore.

Plus, how great would these homemade lava lamps be for an upcoming New Year’s Eve bash?

–Homemade Ramekin Dish Soy Candles For The Holidays: As you may have gathered by now, I really, really, reeeeeaaaaaly love candles.

Plain or elaborate, scented or unscented, store-bought or handmade, I’m totally there for candles.  

In the case of the latter type of candle, I fell hard for Marie’s fantastic DIY candle-making project which guides you through the steps involved with creating candles in ramekin dishes.

This easy candle-making project delivers a beautiful end result that you can keep for yourself or give as a lovely gift.

I feel that these beautiful homemade soy candles would suit special occasions including birthdays, anniversaries, Hanukkah, Yule, Christmas, Imbolc, Valentine’s Day, and Samhain especially well.

(Also on Marie’s delightful – and very inspiring – blog, this adorable Upcycled Indoor Snowball Fight Wood Crate caught my eye. I really like festive décor that can be left out all season long, not merely for a given holiday or two, and this super fun project hits that nail squarely on the wintertime head.)

–How to Make a Flower Press: People have been intentionally drying and pressing flowers for many centuries and while this charming art ebbs and flows in terms of its popularity, it remains a beloved classic that is not likely to vanish entirely anytime soon.

If you are up for a spot of DIY and in the mood to make your own flower press at home, this handy step-by-step guide from Jessica at Cutesy Crafts will have you pressing a whole garden’s worth of blooms in no time.

(As well, on the same blog, I melted faster than a marshmallow in a mug of hot chocolate for this enchantingly pretty Christmas Deer Embroidery Pattern.)

–How to Store Stickers (in Binders): Unless you’ve got a lot of space and, potentially, quite a generous budget to spend on organizational supplies, chances are you are continually looking for ways to streamline your craft supply storage needs.

Goodness knows I am – especially since my crafting space (which I am exceedingly grateful for) is definitely on the petite side of things.

As such, I instantly fell in love with this handy and, in many cases, wonderfully space-saving approach for storing your sticker collection in binders. It’s a brilliant and very implimentable idea for a lot of folks.

(You could also do the same thing with other lightweight, relatively flat crafting supplies such as rub-ons or smaller sized sheets of specialty papers.)

–Super Tiny Mini Album with Lots of Photos: I have seen some pretty small mini scrapbooking albums in my day, but this itty-bitty creation – from none other than the endlessly talented Bea Valint – must surely take top prize on that front.

Perfect for your own memory keeping or to make and give as gifts (including pint-sized stocking stuffers), these mini albums are cute, fun, and more than likely, quite addictive to make!

–Vacation Memory Sand Jars: Now, I fully realize that at present, a lot of us are not exactly jet-setting off to tropical destinations or hopping in the car for a road trip to the beach.

However, if you are able to do so, have collected and saved sand from past trips, or have access to some lovely sand closer to home, this project might just be for you.

It is such a charming, low-cost way to bring a slice of your travel adventures home with you and is one that can be repeated with different locations time and time again.

(Note: When taking sand home, always ensure that you are legally allowed to do so based on local laws and that removal of said sand does not negatively impact the ecosystem that the sand hails from.)

What’s Shaking in My Life and On My Radar

Much like the summer that proceeded it, this autumn was one that, for a multitude of reasons, I will not soon forget.

In the early days of September, the very real risk of the massive local wildfires still loomed near.

Thankfully, by the time autumn had officially begun this risk had all but vanished and we felt safe unpacking our most important documents and belongings, which we had been keeping at the ready in case the official order to evacuate did arrive.

The start of this fall was gloriously gorgeous. Picturesque weather and temperatures, leaves so incredibly vivid and breathtaking that they nearly brought us to tears.

As it tends to do around these parts, October cooled down by mid-month. Happily though, (unlike last year) nary a snowflake fell in our neighbourhood throughout the year’s 10th month.

Come the evening of my favourite day of the year, Halloween + Samhain, the temps hovered around a nippy -2C/28F. The night itself was crisp and dry with relatively little wind, to boot.

This no doubt helped to contribute to why we received the highest number of trick-or-treaters (about 118 – up from our previous, pre-pandemic record of around 113) that we’ve had since we moved into this house nearly four years ago now.

Between that point, celebrating the day with Tony and my mom, and ample time dedicated to meaningful witchy Samhain activities, I’m delighted to say that we had one of the best October 31^sts in recent memory.

November wasted no time in tilting the scales in favour of winter weather, as touched on at the start of this post.

Yet the return of snow all but took a distant backseat to some rare and, in certain cases, incredibly devastating weather conditions and natural phenomena that rocked our province of British Columbia throughout the month.

Tornados are exceedingly uncommon in BC and even less likely, if I’m not mistaken, to occur during the second half of autumn.

This made the tornado that tore a path through parts of Vancouver early on in the month a serious surprise!

Luckily, this event was not, insofar as tornados go, too severe.

In fact, this powerful storm was given an Enhanced Fujita scale rating of EF0, with EF5 being reserved for the most brutal storms/tornados and the destruction they cause.

For many BC residents, the tornado – while a fascinating event for sure – soon took a backseat to substantially bigger weather problems.

Specifically, horribly heavy rains in the province’s Lower Mainland region (a broad swath that encompasses Vancouver and most of the towns + cities that call the lowest portion of BC home) and some other parts of BC, including the Merritt area.

BC is no stranger to flooding, but it had been a fair while since anything like the scale of rainfall, ensuing flooding, and widespread damage it caused had been seen around these parts.

Atmospheric rivers – a technical term that relatively few in BC had heard before this November, but which many of us are now well acquainted with – caused widespread flooding that destroyed homes, businesses, and other structures.

It also brought about landslides and these quite literally washed away segments of some of the main highways through the region.

Highways that connect the Lower Mainland (which is also known as The Coast) to much of the rest of the province.

This meant that in November highway travel was frequently impossible to or from The Coast.

In time, some routes would open again, though ongoing closures – much like flood evacuations in various parts of the province – continued on into December.

It also meant that supply lines were temporarily disrupted, as a fair amount of the goods that are distributed to retailers around the province come from the ports of Vancouver, as well as from farms and other supply sources in the Lower Mainland.

This sudden lack of incoming goods caused some people to adopt a behaviour that is still fresh in most of our minds from the early days of the pandemic: resource hoarding.

From the smallest mom-and-pop shop to the largest grocery store outlets, it all but looked like a plague of locusts had descended on the fresh food (produce, meat and seafood, dairy, baked goods, etc) section of many stores north of The Coast.

Tony and I didn’t participate in this at all. A, because we were not worried and had enough (fresh/frozen/non-perishable) food at home already to see us through several weeks, if needed, and B, we strongly sensed that at least some fresh goods would soon find a way up to this area.

That proved to be the case exactly. And while grocery stores continue to feel the impact of receiving less perishable goods and other products, since “the big clear out” most have been able to get in a solid chunk of the merchandise that they usually sell.

While we did experience heavy rains at times throughout November and on into early December, our area – which is a few hours north of Vancouver – did not suffer the impacts of flooding this fall.

Many people on The Coast did, however, and a lot of them have had their lives absolutely turned upside by the devastating impacts of these mighty atmospheric rivers.

Rebuilding homes, lives, and sections of highway will take time and cost the province billions of dollars.

My heart aches intensely for all those whose words have been rocked by the flooding.

Having lost a home once myself (to fire, not flooding, however), I can relate at least in part to the living nightmare that is having your house (or business, etc) and belongings taken from you in the blink of an eye and the often lengthy journey to piece your world together again that ensues.

The severity of this flooding really is profound. It brought Prime Minister Justin Trudeau all the way from Ottawa to BC in November, has had the armed forces helping with the situation, and will take a long time for the province to even remotely begin to recover from.

Whereas once, decades ago, my family and many of our relatives lived on The Coast, these days far fewer do. And, thus far, thankfully, those that remain in the area have not lost their homes or had to evacuate due to rising floodwaters.

At the time that the flooding struck though, both my mom and aunt (her only sister) were actually down in the Lower Mainland, helping to nurse my 91-year-old maternal grandma who very recently underwent major surgery.

My aunt, an elementary school teacher, had to return home sooner than my mom due to her job. However, she was met, while trying to do so, with the first day of highway closures and ended up staying in the town of Hope for a few days until a route briefly opened up that she could return home via.

My mom was closer to Vancouver itself, at my grandma’s house, and ended up staying there longer than she had planned due to the road closures. Eventually, she too was able to avail of a brief road closure on one highway north.

Had the closures stretched on much longer, she was planning to drive down through the northernmost parts of Washington state and come back into BC at one of the border crossings located in the Southern Okanagan Valley.

Thankfully, things did not come to that for either my mom or my aunt.

Some folks who were stranded and needed to get home to other parts of BC (or elsewhere in the country) did so though, with others still flying, when possible, out of the impacted areas of the province.

I am both happy and very grateful to say that not only is my grandma recovering well, but also that my mom and aunt both made it home safely in the end.

This year took a massive toll on a lot of people around the world.

BC’s floods and the destruction they caused (much like that of the summer’s brutal wildfires) are incredibly tragic, but far from the only major disasters to rock the planet in 2021.

Already weary from the heartbreak and life-altering changes that filled 2020, we were a battle-hardened lot as everything from the lava spuing Cumbre Vieja volcano in Spain to poor Haiti once again being hit hard by earthquakes came at the planet throughout the past twelve months.

These hard, uncertain times – complete with a pandemic that, due in no small part to fresh new variants, shows no sign of abating in the near future – are shaping and impacting a lot of us in ways both big and small.

We are eager to put 2021 to bed, yet also, rightfully, harbour trepidations about what the coming year may hold in store.

This is true for me/us at both a global level and in terms of our day-to-day life.

The very serious, life-altering and still undiagnosed health problems that I have been battling for over a year now can scarcely be called “new” anymore. Though in relation to my other chronic medical conditions, many of which have been present for two decades now, they could still be viewed as such.

The fight for answers and treatments regarding these “new” issues continues unrelentingly around the clock on my end.

My health greatly impacted and altered this year for me.

It caused certain important plans and goals to (hopefully just temporarily) be put on hold, including my long-standing dream of launching an ASMR YouTube channel, which I am more committed than ever to making happen ASAP (as soon as doing so is physically possible for me).

These issues also saw me all but ghost my own Instagram account at times (which I am anything but happy about), took – and is still taking – a serious toll on my mental health, and continues to be a major battle around the clock.

Yet, I know that things could be worse. So much worse. Both personally and, rough as 2021 was, globally as well.

In a lot of ways, we have been profoundly fortunate this year.

Even with medical challenges (mine, Tony’s, those of some relatives), a touch-and-go wildfire season, the ongoing pandemic, and many other not-insignificant struggles that impacted mine and Tony’s life, we made it this far into 2021.

And if you are reading this, so did you.

That is no small feat. Nor is it something that any of us can take for granted.

I have my concerns about 2022. I know there will be challenges both new and ongoing, and that it will likely be another year that unfolds quite differently from how I would ideally want it to play out.

I’m not knocking it yet though, of course. I will let 2022 blossom in its own time, seeking and giving thanks in the process for the positives that come our way next year.

As have come to do each season since launching this quarterly post series, throughout the fall I tucked away an array of online posts and articles that resonated with me in one way or another.

So without further ado – but with unceasing hope that 2022 will be a kinder year to our planet and all who call it home – let’s dive into that selection of links.

–A Haunting Photo Collection of Famous People’s Death Masks, 1300-1950: Once, particularly in the era before photography came into being, a somewhat common practice in certain parts of the world (especially amongst those of the upper classes), death masks are no created with the same frequency they were in centuries past.

Though this tradition has not completed vanished, it has waned in popularity a great deal. Yet there is something absolutely incredible about death masks that, I think, makes it hard for us as a collective whole to abandon the art entirely.

These castings of a deceased person’s face often captures a greater sense in 3D form of how an individual looks/looked than most 2D art forms ever could.

If, like me, you find these types of masks fascinating, then you will likely enjoy this image filled roundup of famous people’s death masks from across the centuries.

–Beverly Cleary Wrote the Stories Kids Wanted To Read About: Relatively rare is the North American youngster who grew up at any point over the past few decades without reading – or being read – at least one of beloved children’s author Beverly Cleary’s books.

Her popularity far exceeded this continent, however, spreading globally and impacting, influencing, and entertaining countless youngsters throughout the years.

To date, more than 91 million copies of her books have been sold globally. That is a staggering number for any author, let alone (pre-Harry Potter at least) one whose work was geared at children and teens.

Sadly, the world lost Mrs. Clearly in March of this year. She passed away at the venerable age of 104 years old.

Many pieces were, understandably, written about Beverly Cleary’s work and life in the aftermath of her death.

This one, which delves into her life, career, and the inspiration behind some of her most beloved stories stood out for me in particular.

Whether you’ve read any of Cleary’s stories or not, it is a captivating, enjoyable look at an author whose work is likely to keep enriching the lives of youngsters for many more generations to come.

–Fifty Dog Quotes That Every Animal Lover Will Relate To: As both a lover of dogs and a proud dog mama to Annie, our nearly nine-year-old Bullador (half Lab, half American Bulldog), I couldn’t help but smile and experience plenty of the “feels’, as they say, while reading through this heartwarmingly lovely selection of dog quotes.

–Grandma’s Vintage Desserts: There are so many wonderful recipes – as well as plenty of fascinating culinary history – on this website that instead of singling out and featuring just one here, I’m sharing Grandma’s Vintage Desserts as a whole.

Helmed by a passionate chap named Don, this delightful website is chock-a-block with the kinds of classic, endearing, and hugely adored sweet treats that many of us grew up with.

These recipes aren’t about the latest fads or most cutting-edge cooking techniques. They are honest, downhome, salt of the earth (or would that be sugar of the earth?) culinary creations that have been made and savoured for generations.

Be it during the holiday season or at any point in the year, if you are on the hunt for an ever-expanding selection of wonderful vintage and timeless recipes “just like grandma used to make” then this site is a must-visit + bookmark (or pin).

–How The Iconic Late Night TV Personality of Elvira Came to Be: Lily Munster and Morticia Addam are indisputably two of the most famous and beloved darkly inclined ladies. However, they’re both fictional characters portrayed on screen my talented Hollywood actresses.

Another spookily souled woman who has been delighting us for decades now is Elvira – aka, The Mistress of Dark.

Unlike Morticia and Lily, Elvira, while still a persona in part, is real. If you have ever wanted to know more about her origin story, then this wonderfully engaging look at how Elvira rose to – and has long maintained her – fame is just the ticket.

–Scientists Discover an Adorable New Species of Brown Frog: Brace yourself for some serious cuteness when you click through this link, as you are about to meet the precious little Chocolate Frog (most likely) for the first time.

This darling amphibian was found in some of the roughest terrain of New Guinea, where it is believed to exist endemically.

I adore learning about newly discovered species and continually marvel at the fact that for all of our global exploration and 21^st century scientific knowledge, there are still critters out that have yet to be documented by humans.

–Some Haunted Trees in the United States: You didn’t think I would let the season that houses Halloween wrap up without at least one ghost related link appearing here, did you?

Whether you are the biggest skeptic of spectres to ever live, have your own ghost hunting gear at the ready, or fall anywhere in between, this engaging post about some of America’s most legendary haunted trees makes for a fascinating read that might just have you looking at the oldest trees in your own neck of the woods a little differently from now on.

Celebrating both the chill and warmth of wintertime

We could likely sit here until the next Fall Equinox debating which season is cozier, autumn or winter?

Honestly, it’s a two-way tie for me. As I suspect it is a good many others as well.

Fall is my favourite season. The slice of the year that delivers us from summer’s parching heat, yet keeps the wolves of winter at bay for (if we’re lucky) at least a few weeks.

Winter is wildly cozy, too, however. Its comfort stretches back into the furthest ethers of time, resides in tradition and nostalgia, and invites us to slow down and embrace the serenity that comes from tumbling snow and the stillness it imparts to the slumbering natural world.

Throughout my life, I have gone back and forth regarding what season takes home the silver medal in my books. Each has held that spot at times, though summer and winter are usually the two that vie most fiercely for second place.

This year, as has often been the case, winter wins out. I need its tranquillity, the productivity that cool days spent indoors delivers, and the merriment of Yule, Christmas, and New Year’s – to say nothing of Valentine’s Day (or as I like to celebrate it, Valoween) a few weeks later.

Winter and I jive. Even during those years when I have experienced SAD, I love winter no less.

My witchy, gothy soul embraces the year’s dark heart. Which, really, is not all that dark in many respects.

Show me another season where we light as many candles and fires or hang up as many strings of twinkling lights both indoors and out?

Humans are astonishingly resilient creatures. Both prior to, and in the years since, electric lighting came into our lives, we stood our ground against even the most powerful of arctic gales via the use of flames.

As though the warmth we generated could melt, if only symbolically, some of winter’s intense chill.

This tradition continues to the present day. It is the heat generated on stoves and in fireplaces, the joys of classic comfort food that invite us to linger in the warmth of good company and wonderful conversation around the table.

It is each simple tealight and heady seasonal candle we watch slowing burn down. Scents of everything from pine to cinnamon to cranberries gloriously filling our indoor environments.

In the glistening of a menorah’s nightly lighting, the multi-coloured bulbs nestled between the needles of Christmas trees, and even the fireworks of New Year’s Eve, we ensure that light is never far from our lives throughout the winter months.

The experiences these activities bring generates treasured memories and helps to remind us that even the chilliest January night can only last so long.

Winter is not the enemy though in my books. It is an ally to my creative process, my spiritual path, and the holidays I embrace annually. Just as it is for countless others around the globe.

Sure, by early March, I will practically be begging for summer, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be a touch blue to see winter go.

We are old friends at this point. A Canadian born and raised lass and a season that frequently consumes this nation for five, six, or even seven pages of the calendar.

Tomorrow, as winter officially returns, I will smile and give thanks for the ever-turning Wheel of the Year and for the beautiful serenity this season houses.

To say nothing of the holiday time joys that we are presently enmeshed in.

Much like its predecessor, 2021 was an intensely challenging year for many of us – be it personally, globally or both.

It is impossible to know with any certainty what this winter (or summer, if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere) will bring in terms of the pandemic, climate change, and myriad other things.

But what we can, as a general rule, count on is the familiarity of winter. From its icy bite to its festive feasts, its sweatshirt grey skies and the promise of sun-kissed new life that lays beyond its snowy borders.

May this winter find and keep you well, safe, and, in all ways possible, wonderfully warm and happy.

What were some of the standout elements of this autumn for you? What aspects of winter are you most looking forward to?

The post Fall 2021 Edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Earlier in the year we took a gander at Valoween, Springoween, and Summerween.

Today, with a mere half a month of December left, it is high time we explore the subject of Spooky Christmas (aka Creepmas).

We will be doing so both through the following paragraphs on the subject and via a festively adorable ghost themed Christmas card that I recently made.

Read on to learn more about Creepmas, as well as how to replicate this charming haunted Christmas tree card yourself.

What is Creepmas?

Creepmas is taking the Christmas season and applying a dark, Halloween-inspired spin to your décor, attire, menus, gift wrapping, holiday cards – you name it!

Objectively, there need not even be a straight-up Halloween element to Creepmas. The key element is to inject spooky, scary, and/or macabre qualities into the Christmas season.

They can be gothic, Halloween related, horror/slasher genre inspired, shift the focus from Santa Claus to Krampus, or focus on any other more eerily influenced spin on Christmastime.

Creepmas is not the only name for spooky Christmas. Indeed, the term “Spooky Christmas” itself is one of Creepmas’ alternative names.

Others that I have seen over the years include Cryptmas, Dark Christmas, Spookmas, Ghoulmas, Hexmas, and Gothmas (though the latter would, objectively, apply more so to those who identify as goths or deeply appreciate and understand the gothic subculture and its aesthetic).

I am particularily fond of the name Cryptmas myself.

(It should be noted that with the meteoric rise in the popularity of cryptocurrency, I have started seeing some products on Etsy – such as this Merry Cryptmas Sweatshirt that put a cryptocurrency spin on Christmas images. So this term now means at least two different things.)

Of all the holidays and non-fall seasons that have had a spooky, Halloween-influenced twist put on them, perhaps none has yet to top Creepmas in terms of its growing popularity.

Nor, in turn, the number of spooky Christmas-themed products that are hitting the markets these days. Particularly amongst indie sellers and smaller-sized companies (though some of the bigger alternative brands are getting in on the festive fun, too).

This makes a lot of sense for multiple reasons.

First and foremost, save for American Thanksgiving in the US, many of us do not celebrate any major holidays between Halloween/Samhain and Christmas (or Yule).

For those who are card carrying members of team #MakeHalloween365, this means come Yule and/or Christmas, we are often missing our beloved Halloween/Samhain something fierce already.

So, we figure, why not carry the dark, spooky elements that we cherish about October 31^st over to our December holiday season!

(The haunted Christmas tree card featured in this post is my #MakeHalloween365 project for this month.)

Another reason is that, much like Halloween, Christmas is a very popular and commonly observed holiday – be it religiously or secularly.

Depending on the faith and/or culture we were raised in, we may have grown up celebrating December 25th. And as a result, we tend to have a bevy of memories, traditions, and festive happenings surrounding the Christmas season that we adore and would like to put a Halloweeny stamp on.

Or, in some cases, perhaps it is the very adding of darker and more macabre elements that make Christmastime considerably more appealing to us in the first place.

In addition, while the Winter Solstice does officially usher in the more light-filled half of the year, in most corners of the Northern Hemisphere, we are not going to start getting a sense of those longer hours of daylight for at least several more weeks.

Christmas, early and mid-winter (and even late winter in some respects) can be extremely dark, cold times that have a certain ingrained air of mystery and even spookiness to them.

A point which many people in generations past – and some folks to this day – embraced with the classic tradition of telling Christmas ghost stories.

I suspect the fact that many Halloween lovers adore decorating and collecting (and/or making) items pertaining to All Hallows’ Eve spills over into the other holidays that we observe.

For as far back as I can recall, I have loved decorating for and celebrating holidays, birthdays, and all manner of special events.

Once I got old enough to start putting a spooky spin on things beyond the Halloween season itself – and even more so after I learned that others were doing the same thing – there was no looking back for me.

I enjoy and appreciate a wide range of holiday decor aesthetics, including many that differ significantly from my own.

At the end of the day though, my most beloved Christmas season aesthetic is one the combines a dark Victorian look with elements of both Halloween and my passion for taphophilia (so hence, no doubt, why I’m particularly fond of the term “Cryptmas” ).

If you feel the Creepmas spirit beckoning you, I wholeheartedly encourage you to find the dark/Halloweeny December holiday season aesthetic that appeals most to you at the moment.

You are, of course, not locked into that style for life and can switch things up anytime, if you so desire.

How to achieve a spooky Christmas look

If you’re keen to get in the Creepmas spirit, there are seemingly endless ways to do so.

Select a decidedly spooky/dark/gothic colour palette (or go eclectic and use a range of colours) such as any of the following colour combinations:

-Black, white, and grey

-Black, grey (and/or white), and purple

-Black, white (and/or grey) and red or burgundy

-Dark brown, pine green, and aged gold or brass

-Lime green, white and/or grey, and black

-Cream or ivory, white, and silver (this combo tends to have an especially delightful ghostly air to it)

-Black, pine green, and burgundy

-Charcoal grey, navy blue, and silver

-White, orange, and yellow (aka, candy corn colours)

-White, black, and orange

-Black or dark grey partnered with assorted aged metals

-Cream, dark red or burgundy, and black or dark brown

-Black or dark grey, dusty rose, and burgundy

-A timeless Christmas palette of red, white and green interspersed with some hits of black

Next, decide if you want to go all out or keep your Creepmas décor to a select area or two of your house.

Naturally, if you do not have many (or any) decorations that fit the Creepmas/Gothmas aesthetic right now, you do need to break the bank and rush out to purchase a bunch.

You can start small. Look through your current winter holiday décor as well as your Halloween decorations, plus your house in general. Are there pieces that can lend a spooky/mysterious quality to your Christmas décor?

Are there any Christmas items that you could paint (acrylic, spray paint, etc), re-cover, decoupage, or otherwise give a gothy makeover to?

Doing things as simple as using a black table runner and chargers or placements and black candles on your festive table or baking some skeleton gingerbread cookies can be terrific ways to begin injecting more of the Creepmas looking into your seasonal happenings.

If you are in the market for a new artificial Christmas tree, consider picking up one in black, white, silver, orange, or red. The darkest of dark green shades can work splendidly as well.

You can then DIY Your Creepmas Tree as the wonderfully talented Amber from The Dahlia Crypt has done.

And transform some run-of-the-mill dollar store Christmas decorations into gloriously spooky Creepmas versions care of this terrific video from The Gothic Homemaker (aka, Aurelio Voltaire – whose music, YouTube channel, and myriad other contributions to the goth community I have been an ardent fan of for many years).

You could also make some cheesecloth ghosts to tuck between garland, tinsel, or other festive décor around your house.

Hang black or grey stockings, read A Christmas Carol in front of the fire, cut snowflakes out of black cardstock or tissue paper and hang them around your home, or decorate, paint, or carve faux pumpkins with Christmas images such as bells, a Christmas tree, snowmen, candy canes, or Santa Claus.

Why not pick up a Creepmas sweater/sweatshirt/t-shirt or two (Etsy has an ever-growing selection of such garments and the offerings over on Dolls Kill are awesome, too), watch scary Christmas movies, deep dive into Spooky Little Halloween’s fantastic array of Spooky Christmas posts, top your tree with a black bat decoration, visit r/Creepmas over on Reddit, or put black Santa hats on some of your favourite Halloween décor?

Have fun with Creepmas/Cryptmas/Gothmas. Let your imagination run wild, build up your spooky festive décor collection a little more each year, make or purchase some Creepmas holiday greeting cards, and revel in the enjoyment that comes from merging elements of Halloween with December 25^th.

And if you are looking for even more Creepmas ideas and inspiration, pop on over to my Creepmas / Cryptmas Pinterest board.

Seasonal sentiments to use on spooky Christmas cards, other crafts, home décor projects, etc

The following is a selection of Creepmas, Cryptmas, Gothmas, and Spooky Christmas sentiments that I have compiled. They work splendidly for all manner of festive cards crafts, home decr projects and so forth.

-‘Tis the season to be spooky

-Scary Christmas / Creepmas / Gothmas / etc

-It’s beginning to look a lot like Cryptmas / Creepmas / Gothmas / etc

-All is merry and fright

-Merry or Happy Creepmas / Happy Cryptmas / Happy Gothmas / Happy Spooky Christmas

-Season’s creepings

-Happy skulladays

-We witch you a merry Christmas / Happy Holidays / Creepmas / Gothmas / etc and a Happy New Year

-I’m dying to spend the holidays with you (you could partner this sentiment with an image of a ghost, the Addams Family, the grim reaper, tombstones, or your favourite horror movie character, for example)

-All I want for Christmas (or Creepmas, etc) is you

-Have a creepy Gothmas / Cryptmas / etc

-Have a spooky Gothmas / Cryptmas / etc

-It’s batty how much I love Christmas / Cryptmas / Creepmas / Gothmas / etc

-Hail Santa

-Boo and happy holidays!

-I’m screaming of a white Christmas

-Here comes Santa Claws (you could partner it with an image of a cat or Krampus, for example)

-Slay bells ring

-Happy ten months and five (or six, depending on if you count down from December 25^th or 26^th) days until Halloween

-He knows when you are sleeping (from the Christmas song Santa Claus is Coming to Town – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus_Is_Comin%27_to_Town)

-Have yourself a spooky little Christmas / Cryptmas / Creepmas / etc

-On the thirteenth day of Creepmas / Cryptmas / Gothmas / etc

-Happy holidays from our crypt to yours!

-Time spread the holiday spirit (combined with an image of one or more ghosts)

Naturally, there are others that could easily fit the bill as well. Turning to lyrics from classic Christmas songs and poetry, as some of the examples above have done, can be a great place to find lines that could easily be made festively spooky by changing some of their words.

Note: Should you wish to use a Creepmas (etc) sentiments that pertain directly to death, please be mindful of any losses the receiptent may have experienced this year. As well as how people are presently doing in the face of the ongoing global pandemic that we are all collectively battling.

If you think that someone might be offended, saddened, or otherwise hurt by death-related wording, be considerate of this point and refrain from using such language.

Gothic haunted Christmas Tree Card

While there are Tim Burton-esque elements to this card – chiefly the black and white striped paper (very Jack Skellington!) and overall spooky theme – I wasn’t per se channelling this source of inspiration.

Not, mind you, that I take any issue with it being there. Far from it! Like many a Halloween fan, I have a great fondness for Mr. Burton and his work – very much including the Nightmare Before Christmas.

This was one of those card designs that just popped into my head as I sat down to craft recently and I knew that I had to bring it to reality immediately.

I had picked up a roll of white “fall snow” design tulle at Dollar Tree back around the start of October and was itching to craft with it.

(You can purchase a very similar looking white snowflake tulle on Amazon. The quanitiy provided there is a fair bit bigger than my roll from the dollar store.)

That tulle appears twice on this card, along with some festive shimmer via the red glitter cardstock, silver metallic cardstock, glossy black cardstock, and the silver tinsel trim on the Christmas tree.

Not to mention the hits of sparkle coming from the fun shaker mix that I composed out of red and black sequins, clear sequins/gems, white and black ghost-shaped sequins, and red and white polymer clay peppermint candy shapes.

The only patterned paper here is a black and white striped piece behind the shaker window, as I wanted to keep the emphasis more on the colour palette and haunted Christmas theme than on multiple different patterns of paper.

If you do not have, or as an alternative to, black and white striped paper, a black or grey snowflake print paper would likely look marvellous here as well.

I have been champing at the bit to share a Creepmas card with all of you and am delighted that I got a chance to do just that here this month.

Should you wish to replicate my sweetly spooky Christmas card, be sure to check out the list of materials used and the detailed step-by-step instructions that follow below.

Products used to make this elegant red and black gothic Christmas card

-Black cardstock

-Glossy black cardstock – Glossy Black Mirror Card from Tonic Studios

-Silver foil or metallic cardstock – Silver Foil Cardstock from Recollections

-Red glitter cardstock – Premium Glittersilk Cardstock from Darice

-Black and white striped paper – Halloween Party Bone Chilling paper from Echo Park

-Clear acetate

-Christmas tree die set with tree, tree stand, bow, and star dies (or assorted dies to create a similar-looking Christmas tree)

-Holly leaf/winter greenery oval frame die (I have had this one in my stash for a few years. You can currently get a similar looking holly oval frame die from Simon Says Stamp)

-Elegant decorative edge scissors – Victorian Paper Edgers from Fiskars

-Black pigment ink pad (or really, just about any black ink pad that works well for inking paper edges)

-Small clear sequins or gems – 3mm Sparkling Clear Sequins from Pretty Pink Posh

-Red sequins

-Black shimmery sequins

-White and black ghost-shaped sequins (check sites such as eBay, Etsy, and AliExpress for ghost sequins)

-Red and white polymer clay peppermint candy shaped pieces (available from various sellers on the aforementioned websites, including Etsy seller Diystencilca)

-White “falling snow” tulle (Crafter’s Square brand from Dollar Tree)

-Red and white micro pompom trim – Handmade Floral Embellishments #500153 Ribbons from Prima Marketing

-Silver tinsel trim – Designer Tinsel Trim from Webster’s Pages

-Black seam binding

-Black pleated ribbon trim

-Glue gun and glue sticks (optional, but especially handy for gluing the seam binding bow in place)

-Dimensional foam, pop dots, or similar to elevate some of your layers

-Adhesive, such as a tape runner, of your choice (I often use my Scotch Tape Glider)

How to make a gothic haunted Christmas tree card

Begin by making a card base from plain black (or charcoal grey) cardstock.

Cut a piece of white falling snowflake print tulle slightly smaller than your card base. Adhere.

Use decorative edge scissors to cut out a piece of red glitter card that is slightly smaller than the piece of white tulle. Adhere.

Cut a piece of black and white striped paper a little smaller than the piece of red glitter cardstock. Ink all four edges lightly with black ink.

Next, die cut a festive holly greenery oval frame in the center of the striped paper.

Die cut the same frame itself from red cardstock. Gingerly align the red frame so that it sits flush in the frame aperture that you die cut from striped paper.

Die cut two equal-sized ovals of clear acetate (or another suitable lightweight, flexible clear plastic material).

Create a festively spooky shaker mix using a blend of red, black, and clear (or white) sequins and/or small gems, white and/or black ghost-shaped sequins (bats would also be fantastic here!), as well as some polymer clay red and white peppermint candies and/or candy canes.

Sandwich the sequins mix between the two pieces of clear acetate and adhere their edges together.

Place this oval sandwich of shaker card goodness into the oval aperture of the holly greenery frame. You may want to use foam dots, pop dots, or a similar raised adhesive to give your shaker card an even greater sense of depth (that’s what I did here).

Back the aperture (open area of the frame design) with a piece of the same white falling snowflake tulle. Adhere.

Then adhere the frame layers, with the shaker portion, to the base layers of the card, making sure that the last layer behind the clear oval is the white snowflake tulle.

Next, die cut a Christmas tree shape from glossy black cardstock (you could also use black glitter cardstock or plain black cardstock instead). Die cut a small star and the Christmas tree stand both from silver metallic cardstock (or grey cardstock).

Assemble the tree, top it with the star and put the tree trunk in the tree stand.

Die cut three small red glitter cardstock bows (or use small bow-shaped cabochons or tiny bows made from real ribbon) and pick out five white ghost sequin pieces. Adhere the red bows and white sequin ghosts to the Christmas tree as shown.

Wrap a small length of silver tinsel trim around the tree, adhere it on the backside of the tree.

Adhere the fully decorated tree to in the center of the clear shaker window oval.

Make a multi-layer bow out of either plain or pre-scrunched (used here) black seam binding. Adhere above the shaker window.

Lastly, cut a piece of red and white micro pompom trim and a piece of pleated black ribbon and adhere them below the shaker window, as shown.

And there you have it, boos and ghouls, one delightfully cute + spooky haunted Christmas tree card that you can either keep and use as Creepmas décor yourself or give to a fellow Cryptmas/Gothmas adoring friend or relative.

All is merry and fright (for some of us at least )

Often, we have our sights firmly planted on the fresh new year that lies tantalizingly close to us throughout December and, as a result, all but forget that the present year will soon pass away.

Into the ethers of time and history it will slip, never to be repeated, unlikely to soon be forgotten.

Acknowledging and even celebrating the life and death of a given year is another component that one can readily tie into a Creepmas celebration.

The handoff between one year and the next is a powerfully liminal time.

As December winds down, I embrace Yule, and celebrate Christmas with loved ones. I lean into that liminal aspect of early winter both in my witchcraft and in terms of how I process, make peace with, and choose to honour the outgoing year.

As the only year-round spooky soul in my family, I am especially grateful for the community of Halloween lovers around the world who join me in embracing a dark, gothy Christmas time aesthetic.

Even if you do not feel pulled towards this style yourself, I hope that you enjoyed learning more about it here.

After all, it can be a lot of fun to see and be inspired by a wide range of different Christmas décor styles.

Year after year, I most certainly am and I delight in finding ways to interpret them in a fa-boo-lously festive Cryptmas manner.

Do you enjoy the Creepmas/Gothmas look? What is your current favourite type of holiday season aesthetic?

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